Nightmares (sequel to 13)
by poxelda
Summary: While healing from his ordeal, Mac learns that his capture may be part of something bigger and much more personal.
1. Chapter 1

*****Here it is, finally, the sequel to 13, the story also has some ties to Masquerade and Plague. Warnings for violence, description of torture and language. Thanks to everyone who offered ideas somehow all of those put this story together. As always thanks to everyone who keeps reading my stories and especially to those who take the time to comment and support my feeble and bazaar attempts to find the perfect way of whumping our boys! :) Hope you enjoy.*****  
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The silence in the car was tight with anxiety. Jack looked over at his partner who was almost vibrating with tension. MacGyver's knee bounced, and he wrung his hands after giving up a hand full of paper clips he mangled until they broke into pieces. Mac was also chewing on his lip, and his eyes were in constant movement. Jack frowned. Mac was more nervous and vigilant than when they were on patrol in Afghanistan.

"Hey…" Jack began, Mac jumped as if Jack had screamed in his ears. "Easy kiddo, are you sure you want to do this today?" Mac's Adam's apple bobbed as he tried to make enough spit to swallow. Mac was a shade pale, and Jack could see he was breathing faster and more shallow than normal. He took a deep breath and scratched his head over one of the scars he'd acquired.

"I have to to get back in the field." Mac's voice was higher than his normal deep timber, making him sound younger. Jack sighed and glanced at him dividing his time between the road and Mac.

"It's only been a couple of months Mac. After everything you've been through…" Jack's voice went tight, and for a long moment, he had a difficult time swallowing as he thought about Mac missing for two days, the wounds he returned with, the terror, the bloody feet and then complete catatonia. "...you need to give yourself a break. Anyone would-"

"It's up here on the right." Mac interrupted looking steadily out the window. Jack shook his head and took in a deep breath. The three months had been hell on his partner. Mac was impatient to return to normal, to put everything behind him and deny it had any effect on him. Jack understood, he'd felt that frustration himself many times, but he'd also learned that it wasn't going to happen to the kid's time table. After only being home a month Mac had pushed himself back to work. He assisted the team in 3 missions from Ops. During the missions, Mac was focused and fantastic, the same as always, but after would need days to pull himself together. Jack had driven him every day and when he could see his partner getting overwhelmed he stepped in and dragged Mac home.

The last couple of weeks, Mac was getting worse. He'd stop in mid-conversation and drift away staring into space, only to snap back shaking barely able to speak. The rest of the team had a meeting with Matty and Dr. Mendez, Mac's psychiatrist, and Dr. Mendez suggested a therapist. Jack knew how freaked out Mac would be with the suggestion-he was already frustrated at not being able to take care of the whole world, but to open up to a stranger? Jack grimly smiled. Jack had suggested one he knew well if she couldn't break past the kid's armor no one could. Of course, if she could do it, she'd deserve the psychological equivalent to the Nobel Peace Prize.

Jack pulled into the tiny parking lot. The building was small and looked like a brick bungalow with a business tacked on underneath it. Jack pulled up to the front door that had small green lettering that said, "Winifred J. Owens, LMHC" above phone number and hours. Jack looked down. Mac had grabbed his right forearm tight enough to blanch the skin white. Mac stared at the building his eyes wide, and his breathing stuttered. Jack doubted he was even aware he'd grabbed Jack's arm.

"Mac, are you sure you don't want me to come in?" Mac looked over at him and removed his arm with a look of surprise. Mac took a steadying breath and smiled running his hand through his hair.

"If I can't do this, I can't be in the field again." Jack opened his mouth to protest, but Mac had the door open and slammed shut after him before he could form a word. Jack watched Mac stride into the front door shoulders squared with determination. Jack smiled. It was that stubbornness that got him through the past few months and would get him back to himself, eventually. Jack did not doubt that he just wished the kid wouldn't punish himself when that didn't happen fast enough to quell his frustration. Jack glanced at his watch and sighed wondering what he was going to do for the next hour if Mac lasted that long.

Mac told himself he was being ridiculous. His self replied shut the hell up and run. The door opened into a small entry way whose windows were blocked by curtains. Beyond that was a small, tasteful waiting room. There were a couch and two recliners a circular tan table covered with the usual waiting room magazines. A nest of plants rested on stair-stepping shelves. Mac smirked without humor. They were all cacti and succulents, things that didn't require much sun or maintenance. Mac wondered if that was symbolic somehow. He stepped up to the half counter where a friendly older woman smiled up at him. She had blue eyes that were the color of the deep sea and short white permed hair.

"Can I help you?" Mac opened his mouth only to have his words sucked dry. He lowered his eyes and forcefully cleared his throat. Mac tried again, but still, nothing came out. He looked up at her a panicked look in his eyes. Janet's eyes were soft as if she'd seen this a million times before. She glanced down.

"Are you Angus MacGyver?" She said her voice was soft and had a calming

musical tone that reassured Mac.

"Mac." He managed a small smile. Mac glanced down and saw a gold name tag that said "Janet, RN." "Thank you, Janet...I'm…" Mac's voice evaporated.

"It's fine, Mac. The first visits are always the worst. Don't worry it will get better." Mac nodded looking down puzzled by his sudden feeling of wanting to cry. Mac wanted to turn and run away, but he'd promised Jack he'd make an honest effort. Janet handed him a clip board to fill out. Mac slid onto the couch and bounced a little. The couch was one of the most comfortable he'd ever seen. Did shrinks have an exclusive store they went to for their sofas? Mac shook his head and filled out the info he could. He paused and laughed at the question, "Is this related to an incident at work?". With a sigh, Mac checked yes. He frowned when he came to the page for family history. Mac swallowed and ignored the page standing to return the clip board. Janet smiled.

"Have a seat, Fred will be out in just a few minute." Mac raised an eyebrow.

"Fred?"

"Short for Winifred." Mac coughed feeling as if his entire body was going to vibrate apart.

"Do you have a bathroom?"

"Sure take the hallway behind the plants and go left." Mac nodded and scurried down the short-well lit hall which dead ended at a water fountain. Mac pushed into the men's room and fell in front of the toilet losing the pancakes Jack had insisted he eat. Mac sat on the tiled floor waiting. After a long minute, his stomach seemed to settle a little. Mac stood up on rubbery legs and staggered to the sink. He rinsed out his mouth and splashed water on his face. Mac leaned on the porcelain a long minute taking deep breaths. The only other times he'd been this nervous, ok scared he admitted, was the first time he saw combat and disarmed a live IED. Mac shook his head. How can this be worse than the actual torture? Mac dried his face and went back to the waiting room.

An African-American woman about Jack's age met him with a kind smile. Mac shook her hand. His grip felt wet and limp, hers firm and stable.

"Hello, Mr. MacGyver," The woman's voice had an accent that was a mix of British and African, probably Nigerian but Mac couldn't be sure. She wore a well-tailored burgundy skirt and loose white blouse without sleeves. She reminded Mac of Michelle Obama only somehow softer and calmer.

"Mac," MacGyver said forcing his voice to stay controlled. The woman smiled and waved him to a door to the left of the front desk.

"I'm Fred."

"I bet you got teased a lot as a kid," Mac said babbling with nerves.

"Well it was that or Winnie, and you know how mean kids could get with that?" Mac nodded with a sigh. With a name like Angus, he knew exactly how mean kids could be. Fred's office wasn't at all what Mac expected. There was a small fountain in the corner, African masks and figurines lined most of the walls except one that had a shelf full of tiny action figures. Mac leaned closer seeing little Superman, Batman, and X-men characters. There were dragons, military cars, and Mac laughed, even a Skeletor.

"You collect these?" He asked turning. Fred settled in a soft recliner crossing her legs and resting her left elbow on the arm. Behind her, a small desk sprawled under mountains of papers and folders.

"I use them in therapy sometimes." Mac shook his head with doubt, playing with toys for therapy? Mac turned and sat on a couch exactly like the one in the waiting room. He snorted. "I know, cliche right?" Fred's laugh was a deep, welcoming burst of unrestricted mirth. Mac nodded then let out a breath. His hands fidgeted. He wished he had a paperclip or something to do with his hands. He could feel Fred's deep brown eyes studying him thoroughly. He squirmed on the couch refusing to meet her eyes.

"So what now?"

"Now, we get to know each other a little, see if we're a good fit." Mac nodded.

"You talked to Dr. Mendez?" He asked softly.

"I have all of your records. At least the ones I was cleared to see. Your job requires a lot of secrecy." Mac nodded even though it wasn't a question. "I bet you're very good at it." Mac looked up sending her a sharp glare.

"What do you mean by that?" Mac snapped.

"You seem like a very private person." Fred's tone was even and unruffled. Mac looked over at the wooden carved mask on the wall to his right. It seemed like a scarier version of the theatrical tragedy mask.

"I've been told that." Mac's voice was tight, and he could feel his body tighten with tension. They sat in silence for a long time. Mac had been interrogated enough times to know the technique. Many people feel uncomfortable sitting in silence and often let the information slip to fill the discomfort. Mac found the silence comforting. His knee began to bob, and he pulled at the hem of his T-shirt as he stared down at his sneakers.

"Tell me about yourself." Fred prompted.

"Not much to tell."

"What do you like to do for fun?" Mac looked up at her his mouth quirked into a one-sided smile.

"Fun?" Mac shrugged. "I like to fix things, build stuff."

"What kind of things?"

"All sorts of things." Fred uncrossed her legs and stood up. Mac wasn't prepared for the move and flinched back. Mac cursed his nerves. If Fred noticed, she gave no sign. Fred crossed the desk and emerged holding a desk calculator. She handed it to Mac whose eyes lit up glad to have something to keep him busy.

"I put in new batteries, but I can't get the display to come up." Mac nodded slipping out his swiss army knife having it apart in seconds. "Where did you learn to fix things?" She asked. Mac again shrugged unscrewing wires.

"Here and there."

"It's quite a talent."

"Yeah."

"You like to help people." Mac's gaze snapped up puzzled by this nonsequitur. "Don't you?"

"Yeah."

"I bet you see a problem and focus on it until it's fixed." Mac's eyes burned with suspicion.

"Who've you talked to? Jack called you didn't he?" Mac looked like he was going to throw the calculator across the room. Fred's face grew serious, and she leaned forward.

"No one called me, Mac. I know what I see."

"And what do you see?" Mac asked his voice barely above a whisper, his eyes meeting hers with a defiant challenge. Fred leaned back and cocked her head.

"I see someone in pain desperately trying to escape it." Mac swallowed and dropped his eyes back to the calculator. His heart pounded in his chest. "I also see someone terrified that if they lose control, they will be shattered permanently." Mac threw the calculator down stood up and began to pace back and forth absently.

"This isn't going to work, I...I can't do this. I'm sorry." Mac turned and sped out of the office. He was dimly aware of striding through the waiting room then into the fresh air. Mac couldn't stop. Mac started running full tilt unaware of where he was going. His still healing body screamed at him, his feet throbbing, his chest grinding, but he couldn't stop. Mac wanted to cry. Even as he fled, he knew there wasn't any way to escape what truly terrified him.

Suddenly someone grabbed him. Mac turned swinging and kicking roaring in anger as he fought. He would not be retaken!

"Mac! MAC!" A familiar voice cracked through his blind panic. Mac stopped his chest heaving like an accordion. Jack bent to meet his gaze. "Slow down, breathe...easy, easy…" Mac's eyes burned with tears, and his legs went rubbery. Jack slowed his collapse and helped Mac to the cement sidewalk. Mac closed his eyes his body vibrating with tremors and cold. Mac felt Jack's arms wrap around him and leaned his head against Jack's shoulder feeling protected by his friend's warmth. His breathing slowed, and his body began to relax. Slowly Jack let him go. Mac leaned an elbow on his knee and held his sweaty forehead in his palm.

"I'm sorry, Jack...I tried…" Jack put a hand on Mac's shoulder and ducked trying to meet Mac's eyes.

"I know, brother. I know you did. I'm proud of you." Mac met his gaze with an angry scoff.

"For what? Running away?" Jack grinned.

"No for lasting 20 minutes. Matty and I had a bet going. She said you wouldn't go in; I said you would and would make it 30 minutes." Mac laughed, feeling some of the tension leave. He moved to stand up still feeling jittery. Jack helped him up and steadied him as they walked to the GTO. The car blocked the sidewalk and was still running, the driver's side door hanging open. Mac took in his surroundings and had no idea where they were.

"How…?"

"I was playing Family Ranch on my phone when I saw you run past." Mac sank into the leather chair rubbing his forehead. He felt like an ice pick was digging into his skull. Mac didn't notice Jack clicking on his seatbelt or close the passenger's door. Mac jumped when he heard Jack's voice at his left elbow. Jack noticed but didn't comment.

"What's Family Ranch?" Mac asked leaning his head back exhausted. Jack turned the car around and pulled into traffic.

"It's awesome; I have a ranch with horses and cattle, today I was buying another field and putting up posts to another corral." Mac chuckled and shook his head turning to stare out the window. Jack studied the younger man. Mac was calmer, probably due to exhaustion, and pale. "You threw up didn't you?" Jack's voice was soft. He knew keeping food down was hard for Mac when his anxiety was high. Mac nodded not turning around. "It's ok, bud. Bozer made up some of his soup." Jack watched as Mac's lower lip trembled. Jack turned to the front of the car and didn't give any sign he noticed. Jack wished he could figure out why Mac thought helping him was a burden to those who cared about him. They drove in comfortable silence.

"When's my next appointment?" Mac asked in a soft whisper. Jack smiled proud of Mac. He knew how hard this was for the younger man, but Mac was still going to try.

"In a couple of days, Dr. Mendez said twice a week for awhile." Mac nodded and leaned his head against the window and closing his eyes. Jack gave his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

"It'll get better." He murmured.

"So everyone keeps saying." Jack turned on some soothing music and drove the rest of the way back to Mac's house in quiet companionship. As they pulled in, Mac straightened and sighed. He looked over at Jack and smiled. Jack nodded. Mac was calmer, more like himself.

"Thanks, Jack," Mac said climbing out of the car. Jack grinned as he turned off the car and followed the blonde. "Jack what are you doing? I'm all right." Mac growled. Jack patted Mac on the back as he walked by him into the house.

"I know, I'm hungry, lunch?" Mac shook his head and closed the door as he entered behind his friend. Mac let out a deep breath. Honestly, he was relieved to have his buddy stay. Mac still felt jittery, exposed. Mac threw his keys on the table and plugged his phone in to charge. He rolled his eyes; Jack already had his phone charging

"I think we might have to rethink this open door policy," Mac said as he pulled water out of the fridge and downed half of it. Jack smirked.

"C'mon bud, where else would I go for Bozer's food?" Mac laughed and nodded. He glanced at his watch and looked outside. Jack frowned. "You have somewhere to be?" Mac shook his head, recapped his water and put it back.

"I want to get the lawn done; it's supposed to rain in an hour or so." Jack laughed.

"You just want to play with your new toy." Mac grinned at him but didn't try to deny it. "I'll get lunch ready, be in here in 45." Mac shook his head and waved a hand as he went out to the garage. Jack stepped out on the deck watching as Mac came flying out on a machine Bozer had named the monster. Mac had tried to explain to Jack what he wanted to do, something about using lawn clippings to make fuel. Watching Mac speed across the lawn at an insane speed, Jack could only think of like a jet rocket crossed with a mulcher. Mac expertly cranked the wheel and whipped around the trees. Jack closed his eyes and rubbed his head waiting for the impact. He squinted out as Mac pivoted and zoomed along the long end of the property. Jack's heart hammered. Mac's face was split with a grin as his blond hair flew back in the wind. Jack reached out and jumped when Mac drove at a small shrub.

"Mac, don't-" Mac let out a whoop as his ride jumped into the middle of the bush and annihilated it, Mac swiveled the seat and drove over the shrub until even the chips were chipped. Jack shook his head and went inside closing the door to the deck. His heart really couldn't take any more accidents waiting to happen. Jack chuckled to himself, killing the shrub was probably better therapy for Mac than this morning had been, but he'll have to answer to Bozer. It had been a moving-in gift from Mama Bozer. Mac probably forgot.

Jack pulled out a beer and ducked into the freezer enjoying the coolness. He closed his eyes and breathed out slowly unwinding his knots. Jack's brain kept playing the blind panic in Mac's face as he sprinted past Jack trying to escape his demons. Jack shook his head. He knew from personal experience how much things hurt when they get stirred up before healing and despite what Mac claimed, the kid's wounds were still raw and fresh. Jack never told Mac, but Jack had also seen Fred for a while after he left Delta. Jack sighed; hell, he still did when things got overwhelming. Jack pushed the thoughts away and studied the single serving dishes Bozer had premade.

They were color labeled red or blue. Jack grabbed one of each, removed the lid and plopped them in the microwave. Mac didn't know about the tags; he only knew that Bozer made food for him every couple days. With his panic attacks, night terrors, and the increase in generalized anxiety getting Mac to keep his weight up had become a real issue. Bozer and Riley had done extensive research and found hundreds of ways to add nutrition and calories to Mac's dishes. If he'd noticed the change, he gave no indication. Bozer always made up an equal number of regular meals and one of the team made it a point to be home at every meal. If he left to his own devices, the boy would never eat.

The microwave dinged as the lawn monster's motor fell quiet. Jack could hear the rattle of Mac moving it into the garage. He came in red-faced, sweaty and coated with a thick green paste. Jack laughed.

"Feel better?"

"Still have to work on the re-feeder," Mac said unable to stop grinning as he plopped onto a kitchen chair. He yawned.

"Looks like it fed on that bush pretty good." Jack put soup in front of him and sat across from the younger man. Mac tore into the soup with energy, but fatigue caught up with him. He pushed it aside leaving it a little more than half eaten. Jack finished his and set it aside. Mac's eyes looked heavy, and he yawned.

"Why don't you go get cleaned up and rest for awhile?" Mac frowned. Jack could see he wanted to argue but was too tired. "Or you can stay up and help me write reports?" Mac shook his head.

"I'm on vacation, remember?" Mac's voice was bitter. He stood up and paused. "I'm sorry, Jack, it's just-" Mac huffed and shrugged. Jack stood up taking the dishes to the sink.

"It's all good, bud. You do need a shower though." Mac wrinkled his nose as he got wind of his own sweaty body.

"You aren't wrong." He looked like he wanted to say something else.

"It's all good, Mac. You know that." Jack said as he turned to wash the dishes. Mac hesitated then went into the shower. Jack finished cleaning the kitchen and went to get his laptop from the car. He hadn't been kidding about finishing reports; this time of year was recertification for most of Phoenix, and Jack was in charge of the tac teams and their evaluations. Jack paused as his phone blipped. He automatically picked it up and hit read before he realized he'd accidentally grabbed Mac's. He was about to turn it off when a video started playing.

Jack's heart hammered with fury. His body shook with a rage he'd felt only a few times before. He glanced up and was relieved to hear the shower still running. Jack forwarded the video to his phone then deleted it from Mac's. Jack grabbed his phone and crossed out to the deck. Jack's voice was tight and his face stormy as he called Matty.


	2. Chapter 2

Jack pushed his phone into the pocket of his black jeans. He leaned over the railing of the deck and took a deep breath. The air was moist with the rain that would fall any minute. Jack sighed and shut his eyes. The images and sounds of the video replayed. Jack's heart thumped, and he winced at the horseshoe markings his nails left inside his clenched fists. Jack forced his hands to relax and shook them. He glanced at his watch. Bozer would be here in half an hour. Jack felt a solid drip of cold rain run down his back. Jack went inside and was relieved to see Mac sprawled across his bed out cold. Jack leaned against the door frame and smiled. It was rare to see Mac relaxed enough to sleep peacefully. Jack silently entered the room and gently repositioned Mac's legs, so he was completely in bed. He covered the kid with the thick comforter and turned on the bedside lamp. Jack froze as Mac rolled over and nuzzled his face deeper into the pillow. He murmured something, let out a deep breath then drifted back to sleep.

Jack cat footed over to the chair beside the bed and sat studying his friend. Jack frowned remembering the blind panic as he fled Fred's office. Jack knew it would be hard for the kid, but hadn't expected him to freak out and run. Now these videos? Everything in Jack screamed for Jack to keep them from Mac, to delete them, but Jack realized Matty was right. Someone was trying to mess with the kid, and Mac would have to know for his safety. Matty also pointed out that it wasn't Jack's right to keep Mac in the dark. Bozer had the most convincing argument. He said that Mac's ginormous brain would gnaw at itself until he could fill in the missing gaps and until it does, Mac won't get better. As if Mac could hear his thoughts, Mac began to moan and twitch. Jack flinched as he saw Mac's feet spasm. Jack fought the urge to wake up Mac. Dr. Mendez said to let Mac sleep until he woke up on his own. Otherwise, Mac wouldn't get any sleep. Tears ran down Mac's face as he began to thrash back and forth. Jack sat on the side of the bed and softly began to rub Mac's forearm. Mac jumped.

"Easy, kiddo. You're ok." Jack murmured. Mac mumbled and rolled closer to Jack, calmer. Jack reached over and gently rubbed the kid's back. Mac's eyes briefly opened into slits then rolled shut. Jack could feel his muscles relax. Jack let out a deep breath. He brushed Mac's bangs back. "I'm sorry, kid," Jack whispered. Jack heard the front door open and silently padded out to the living room.

Bozer came rushing through the door; his eyes were wide and worried.

"Bozer, he's alright. Calm down." Jack said softly. Bozer nodded but didn't relax until he peeped in Mac's room to see for himself. Bozer let out a deep breath and closed Mac's door leaving it ajar. Bozer went to the living room and slid out of his wet jacket.

"He hasn't seen them?" Jack jumped up and grabbed Bozer's arm.

"Them?" Bozer nodded rubbing rain out of his short hair.

"I guess there are three parts in that one video or something?" Bozer offered with a shrug. Jack growled as he crossed his arms.

"Has Riley found out anything?" Bozer sat down on the couch his elbows on his knees. He looked up at Jack worried.

"Riley said it's hidden by the same level of encryption as the MacGyver murder site."

"Shit!" Jack wasn't surprised. It had taken Riley almost two months to break into the site then it was taken down, and all traces of it erased. Jack thought of the amount of information the site had about Mac. Was it Valhalla again? Sarana? Murdoc? El Noche? The Ghost? Jack shook his head. "Are the TAC teams set up?"

"They are all over the place outside," Bozer said. Jack nodded. He'd pulled all the shades and curtains down. "How long has he been sleeping?" Jack glanced at his watch.

"About an hour. Mac had half a bowl of soup." Bozer stood up and looked in Jack's eyes mirroring his worry.

"The therapist messed him up."

"I know. I'm proud of him for giving it a shot. Well, I gotta go yell at Matty." Jack crossed and grabbed his denim jacket. "Make sure you call TAC before you guys come in and…" Bozer gave Jack a playful punch in the shoulder.

"Don't worry, Jack, we got this." Jack sucked in a deep breath and reluctantly nodded.

"I know, Boze, it's just…"

"Jack, I got it." Bozer put a hand on Jack's shoulder. Jack saw the stony determination in the younger man's eyes.

"Ok, if you need anything…"

"I'll call."

"Anything!"

"I'll call, don't worry-as much, I know you're going to worry, just breathe ok?" Jack chuckled and waved a hand as he stepped out into the rain. Bozer frowned and rubbed his face. He cleaned up the kitchen and checked out the stacks of food. Bozer smiled. Mac was eating the nutrient heavy food. Bozer's smile evaporated realizing that Mac probably lost at least half of what he ate. Bozer closed the fridge and softly walked into Mac's room. Bozer sat down and studied his friend. With the blond sound asleep and peaceful, Bozer could easily see the big hearted, goofy guy he'd known since 5th grade. Mac jumped in his sleep, and his arm went over his head as if he were ducking a blow. Bozer leaned forward his stomach dropping.

The only time he'd ever seen Mac trapped in this kind of fear was when they'd first met. Everyone in school knew about Angus, of course. He was tall, gangly, and always walking around lost in thought. Mac always wore wrinkled and stained clothes and had grease perpetually under his fingernails. Probably what drew the worst heat was the sheer brilliance of Mac's mind. To people who didn't know Mac, he would sound arrogant and snobby. Nothing could be further from the truth. Bozer remembered the fear in Mac's bluer than blue eyes as Donny Sandoz cornered him. Bozer rubbed his knuckles smiling at the memory of busting the bully's nose. In Bozer's mind that was one of his best shining moments.

Mac began to whimper and curl into a ball.

"Mac, hey, Mac you're ok, buddy," Bozer whispered leaning forward. He hated not being able to cut off the horrible movies that played in his best friend's head every time Mac closed his eyes, but Bozer knew Mac needed whatever sleep he could scrounge good, bad or otherwise. Mac thrashed then bolted upright blurting a truncated scream. Mac's eyes darted around the room, his chest puffing like a steam engine. Bozer slowly stood and moved to sit on the side of Mac's bed. Mac bolted backward, terror in his eyes for a long minute then he sucked in a deep breath and ran a shaking head through his tangled hair. Bozer reached out a hand and put it on Mac's knee.

"Hey, bud, how are you doing?" Bozer asked softly. Mac looked at him oddly then chuckled. Bozer raised her eyebrows. "What?"

"'Bud'? You sound like Jack." Bozer looked at him with exaggerated pain.

"Mac, how dare you?" Mac smiled and closed his eyes rubbing at his cheeks surprised to find them wet. Bozer didn't give any indication he'd noticed. Mac squinted up at the clock and frowned at Bozer.

"Where's Jack?" Bozer stood up and walked toward the door. "Boze?"

"He had to go back to the office.' Bozer said over his shoulder. "Want to watch a movie? I'll go make popcorn." Bozer almost ran to the kitchen silently cursing. Could he make Mac any more suspicious? Evidently not as Mac padded barefoot after him.

"Bozer, what's going on?" Bozer saw alarm seep into Mac's voice. Bozer turned around and held up placating hands.

"Mac, it's ok. Jack is fine; everybody is fine. Matty wanted to go over some reports…" Mac's eyes narrowed. His eyes shifted, and he pointed to the pile of Jack's laptop and papers.

"The reports he left over on our table?" Mac challenged. Bozer huffed.

"Ok, Mac you got me!" Bozer's gaze grew serious, "There's stuff going on...Mac you're going to find out tomorrow, Ok?" Mac straightened his back.

"Stuff? What stuff?" Mac growled. Bozer backed up and ran his fingers across his forehead.

"C'mon sit down," Bozer said taking a step toward the couch. Mac grabbed his arm and spun him around.

"Wilt? What stuff?" Bozer frowned, his throat bobbing at the use of his first name. Bozer reached out and grabbed Mac's upper arm. Bozer was alarmed to find it shivering and cold. Bozer led Mac to the couch and sat down. Mac sat beside him his eyes pinning Bozer through the heart. Bozer leaned forward and stared at the floor.

"Someone sent you a video; Jack found it accidentally when he picked up your phone instead of his." Mac hissed in the air, leaning back. Bozer glanced up and could see Mac pale, his eyes wide. Bozer turned and put his hands on Mac's forearms.

"They're tracking down who sent it…" Mac sat stunned as if Bozer

had gut punched him. Mac slowly pulled away and stood up. He crossed his arms and turned away.

"Did you watch it?" Mac asked softly.

"No. So far the only ones to watch it are Riley, Matty, and Jack." Mac stared at the ceiling taking deep breaths. Mac turned slowly. His eyes looked like dark pools of misery.

"What's on it?" Mac's voice was barely a whisper. He avoided meeting Bozer's gaze. Bozer stood up and crossed to his friend. He went to put a hand on Mac's shoulder, but the blond flinched and took a step away.

"I don't know, but Mac…" Bozer waited until Mac's gaze slowly drifted up to his. "I think it's really bad." Mac's eyes gleamed with tears, and he nodded.

"Is it related to that website?" Mac asked his voice more like normal.

"I don't know, Riley's checking into it." Mac chewed on the corner of his thumbnail then spun and hurried to his room. Bozer blinked in surprise and followed him. Mac yanked his running shoes out from under the bed.

"Mac, what…?"

"I have to go to Phoenix, now." Mac's voice was tight with anger entwined with fear. Bozer squatted in front of Mac.

"Mac…" Mac slid his bare feet into his well-used shoes and stood up. Bozer stood up and moved in front of him.

"Out of my way, Boze." Mac went to push past Bozer held onto Mac's thin shoulders tightly.

"Mac! Listen to me! We can go, just calm down and take a minute ok?" Mac blinked and glared at Bozer.

"Why? I'm tired of these...people coming after...everyone." Mac's bottom lip quivered. Bozer felt Mac's cold body start to shake. Mac started to breathe faster. "I have to stop this...I have to...Boze!" Mac's frightened eyes met Bozer's desperately looking for a solution, a way out. Bozer reached over and wrapped Mac into a hug. Mac pulled back and stiffened. Bozer was used to that; he held on until Mac leaned into his friend. Boze could feel Mac's body spasm as if it was still running away on its own. Mac's body began to shudder. Bozer gently backed Mac up to the bed and sat him down. Mac hugged himself, eyes closed and started rocking. Bozer felt his heart break. He pulled over the comforter around Mac's shoulder and sat beside the blond. It took a few minutes, but Mac finally started taking deep breaths and worked to calm himself down. Bozer smiled and rubbed Mac's back offering what support he could.

"The others thought we could go to Phoenix in the morning." Mac slowly looked over and studied Bozer's face.

"They weren't going to tell me, were they?" Bozer looked down at the floor.

"Jack and Riley didn't want to, they…"

"They thought I'd fall apart and lose it." Mac began pulling on the edge of the comforter. Bozer put his arm around Mac's shoulders and pulled him in close.

"Well, lately you have kinda been a bit fragile…" Mac shot Bozer a glare. Bozer shrugged. Mac wryly smiled and rolled his eyes.

"Fair point, Boze." They were silent a long minute. "I guess that's what I'm afraid of too, Boze," Mac said softly.

"I hear you, buddy." Mac seemed to shake himself. He sat up straight and nodded. Mac looked over to Bozer.

"Thanks, Boze." Bozer grinned and hugged Mac. Mac unwrapped himself from the comforter and shook off his shoes.

"So we're waiting until morning?" Bozer asked. Mac frowned.

"I think I'll be able to help more if I have a clear head."

"Yeah, what do you want to binge watch? And what do you want to eat?" Bozer offered. Mac scowled at him. Bozer just met his gaze with eye brows raised. Mac rolled his eyes and punched Bozer on the shoulder. Mac turned and went to the kitchen. Bozer winced rubbing his arm and followed him.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

The glass of the war room was already frosted when Mac and Bozer arrived the next morning flanked by the TAC team. Mac walked his body stiff, his face stormy. He had not been happy to find out about the TAC team. Bozer was worried he was going to explode during the ride. Bozer tried to get Mac to vent, cuss, get it out of his system, but Mac only gave Bozer the full blast of his glare and gritted his teeth hard enough Bozer thought his teeth must be cracked. Jack turned as Mac entered. Jack smiled.

"Hey, bud." Mac glared at him. Jack frowned and looked over at Bozer.

"We enjoyed the motorcade this morning." Bozer offered. He took off his jacket and crossed to the round table to sit beside Riley. Riley glanced up from behind her laptop, glanced at Bozer and both leaned in together doing their best to be invisible. Mac strode directly up to Jack. Jack didn't step back but forced his stance to stay casual. Mac's body was almost vibrating with stress. Jack waited. Mac's jaw flinched.

"Why didn't you tell me about the video?" Mac asked his voice calm and even. Jack sighed and itched his nose.

"You know why," Jack answered in the same tone.

"That's not your call to make." Jack studied his friend, and his face softened.

"Are you mad I didn't tell you or mad that I tried to help you?" Jack asked softly. Mac opened his mouth then snapped it shut. He crossed his arms and looked down. Jack could see how brittle his partner was feeling. Jack put an arm on his shoulder. "Look, I will always do what I think is necessary to keep you safe. I'm here to help you, man." Mac's Adam's apple bobbed. He bent over and kicked the carpet.

"I know that. It's just…" Mac's eyes moistened, and he cleared his throat.

"I know, bud. I know. Are you sure you're ready to do this?" Mac laughed. Jack looked at him surprised.

"Every time you ask me that, it doesn't end well." Mac punched Jack on the shoulder then crossed over to Riley and Bozer. Jack smiled, it was Mac's way of letting Jack know they were good. Jack's smile fell into a grim line. He forced his body to relax, saving his rage for the person or persons behind this newest round of mind games. Matty walked in followed by Dr. Mendez and Doc Carl from Medical. Mac turned and swallowed clearing his throat. Jack saw a flash of panic that Mac quickly swept away. 

"Hey, Mac," Matty said a gentleness in her tone Jack had never heard from the diminutive woman.

"Matty." Mac managed. Matty studied him. Mac met her gaze and managed not to fidget. Matty nodded at Riley. Everyone turned to the wall screen. Mac automatically walked to stand close to Jack. Jack moved over until his arm brushed Mac's offering what comfort he could. Mac narrowed his eyes. The first image showed Mac running blindly from Fred's office. Jack watched Mac out of the corner of his eye. He tapped his chin with his index finger.

"Riley?" Riley paused it. "Can you get a map of that street and the buildings around it? We should be able to figure out where this was filmed." Riley grinned and nodded her fingers tapping her keyboard.

"Ready?" Mac coughed and nodded. There was another minute of Mac running, then Jack skidding in front of him. Mac smiled glancing over at his friend. Jack had a small smile on his face too. Mac looked back at the screen and froze. He took a step forward his mouth hanging open. It was a home movie, probably copied from VHS if the quality was any indicator. A young woman with curly blond hair was holding a baby and grinning into the camera. Mac's heart pounded.

"Mac?" Someone asked from nearby. Mac felt his eyes grow moist.

"Mom." He said, his voice small and strangled. Jack's head whipped around.

"Mac?" Jack reached out gently. Mac smiled at Jack.

"That's my mom." He said softly. Jack turned around, and everyone was talking. Mac barely noticed. He walked closer and almost reached out to the screen. Mac pulled his hand back and shook his head, realizing where Mac was and what he was doing. He rubbed at his eyes and took a steadying breath. "Do we know where that park is?" Mac asked studying the children playing on swings and slide down a plastic slide. He couldn't see anything indicating a town or city, just a background of woods and...Mac gasped and took two panicked steps back. Jack was at his side in an instant. Mac's face had drained to bone white. Jack held onto Mac's shoulder; he could feel the shuddering.

"Mac?" Mac blinked and stared at Jack blankly. He shook his head.

"Riley, rewind it." Mac's voice was a strangled whisper. He watched the screen. "Stop. Enhance here." Mac pointed at a place almost out of sight on the video. Mac turned away and held onto his head with both hands.

"Son of a bitch! Is that the…?" Jack asked.

"Yes," Mac said not turning around. A figure stood at the edge of the forest, a clown. Jack thought back to the description Mac had given him when they were in Colorado. It was the same clown-tall, thin, happy face, wearing white with large red circles that seemed to be liquid somehow. The clown held a giant wooden mallet over his shoulder. He was apparently studying Mac and his mom. Jack scowled as he thought about the implications. Before he could say a word, an animal scream blared seeming to echo off the building's walls themselves. Jack watched as Mac turned around. Everything slid into slow motion. Jack saw Mac's eyes widen, his mouth opened, his eyes squinted shut, and Mac covered his ears screaming.

"Riley!" Jack bellowed as he jumped to Mac's side. Mac's knees buckled. Riley silenced the video; everyone was standing and hovering near Mac, not sure what to do next. Mac stopped screaming, began hyperventilating, then his knees buckled. Jack caught him and eased them both to their knees. Mac's eyes were wild black dots. His hands dug into Jack's arm.

"Hey, hey, breathe," Jack said looking over at Dr. Mendez. The psychiatrist calmly drew medicine into a shot. Doc Carl knelt beside Mac listening to his heart through a stethoscope. Mac stared at Jack his eyes begging for help as the younger man desperately fought for air. Mac's body began to shake; he fell forward. Jack caught him and held him up. Dr. Mendez knelt behind Mac and pushed back the sleeve of his shirt injecting the medicine into Mac's upper arm. Mac's eyes closed and he went completely limp. Jack caught him and pulled him close taking a deep breath and closing his eyes.

"It's ok, bud, you're going to be ok." Jack wasn't sure if he was saying it for Mac or himself.


	3. Chapter 3

Cold, tendrils of fog hang like spider webs crawling through the shadowy fingers of the trees. The gravel path growls, the tall grasses cling like hands trying to pull fleeing legs to the hard ground. The house seemed to hunch in the darkness, its broken windows empty, hungry eyes. Hands, gloved, white, burning, bruising-screams, pain, no, no, no-why can't he run? Why do his legs abandon him, bring him into the hungry door, the darkness slurping him down entirely-screams…

Mac gasped and opened his eyes breathing rapidly. He sat up and took in his surroundings. He sprawled on the couch in the war room. The lights were dim; the windows still frosted. Mac laid back and let out a deep breath closing his eyes rewinding his nightmare. He frowned and sat up putting his feet on the ground. Mac rubbed sweat off his face and closed his eyes as everything seemed to swish around him. He rubbed his shoulder and winced as he touched it. Mac pulled his shirt sleeve up and frowned at the obvious needle mark. It took a minute for Mac to remember what had happened that made Dr. Mendez sedate him. Mac glanced up at the empty screen, and it came back. Mac closed his eyes and rubbed his temples remembering the video.

Mac went to stand up and promptly fell back to sitting. He burped the taste of bile and thought he was going to puke. After a long minute, the feeling passed. Mac leaned forward and rested his knees on his thighs. He stared at the floor. Mac felt wiped out and hollow, but calm. For the first time in months, the anxiety that dogged his every thought had eased its grip; he could finally think. Mac cupped his chin in his palm. Something had changed. Mac didn't believe it was the sedative, and it wasn't some new bravery on his part-it was more like he'd discovered the root of a wound. Mac managed to stand up and slowly began to pace, picking up a couple of paper clips as he thought of the video.

The first part had been a mere psychological ploy-someone saying they can reach Mac anywhere. That's why Jack freaked out and sent the TAC teams last night. While it annoyed Mac, he had to agree Jack had a point. The second part is what interested Mac. Mac thought about the clown and frowned a thought occurred to him. He went over to the wall and pulled up the video. He speeded up to the clown and zoomed in as much as he could. Mac nodded. The vision of the clown that haunted Mac had a face that would scare away Pennywhistle-fangs dripping with blood, staring eyes. Mac's heart thumped in reaction to the image. This clown had a standard happy face that most clowns would have. Mac paced another minute lost in thought. The house in his nightmare felt recent, attached to his disappearance a couple of months ago. Mac shook his head unable to pull up anything in his memory.

Mac swallowed and turned his mind to the third part of the video. His reaction had been primal, instinctual. Mac closed his eyes and crossed his arms shivering. Mac bent the paper clips absently. There was something about the screams that Mac heard-something wrong with them. Mac turned and ran the video without sound. Mac felt his stomach threaten to invert; every cell demanded he flee for his life.

Mac saw himself on a wooden table held by four ropes stripped down to his boxers, chest bleeding, head tilted back in a full-throated scream as the glowing tip of a heated crow bar steamed into his flesh. Mac closed his eyes smelling his flesh burn, hearing voices over him mocking and pain...Mac forced his eyes open and took deliberate deep breaths. He wiped sweat from his forehead and played more of the video. It skipped ahead to Mac wrapped in tow chains dropped into a tub of brackish water. Mac gagged tasting the foul stench that seemed to cling to him as he felt the chains slam into his back. Again Mac forced himself to breathe and with shaking hands played the rest of the video. The scenes that played were similar episodes of his torture and beatings. Oddly the film makers did not include the crown jewel, the foot whipping. Mac turned off the video and sat down on the couch feeling cold, jittery, exposed. His body jumped and spasmed on its own as his mind replayed the sensations he remembered. Mac held his head in his hands feeling as if his brain was going to explode. _**Wood, grease, splinters, tearing flesh, crushing, gagging, drowning...snap, snap, snap, snap...We know more about you than you do...**_ Mac leaned forward trying to heave in air. He jumped and shied away as he felt an arm around his shoulder. Mac stared into the worried face of his partner. Mac tried to speak, but his shaking muscles wouldn't shape words.

"Easy, breathe with me, bud." Jack took a deep breath, paused, then let it out slowly. Mac tried to do the same, but it ended up being a desperate gasp. Jack kept breathing, and Mac closed his eyes trying to focus on Jack's voice. Jack rubbed Mac's back. It felt like it took years, but eventually, Mac was able to breathe and had barely noticeable tremors. Mac offered Jack a weak smile.

"Thanks." Mac murmured. Jack tapped him on the back and leaned forward picking up the paper clips Mac had been absently bending. Mac's eyes widened. He'd made a perfect outline of the house from his nightmare. Jack silently asked a question with a raised eye brow. Mac took it from him and studied it. Mac set it on the table then stumbled to his feet. Jack stood up beside him, concern and worry etched into his face. Mac barely noticed he slowly began to pace. 

"Ok, brother, what's going on in that ginormous brain?" Jack asked. Mac looked at him.

"Something's not right."

"That's the understatement of the year." Jack scoffed. Mac didn't notice his interruption, nor did he see Matty, Riley, and Bozer enter the war room. Jack held up a hand and shook his head before they had a chance to talk.

"No, I've been hurt a lot worse and over a lot longer period, what is different about this time?"

"You were drugged." Matty offered. Mac turned not showing any surprise about the trio's presence.

"Yes, and why those particular drugs?"

"We don't even know what all of the drugs used." Riley offered.

"Exactly." Mac shifted and stared at the blank wall screen.

"Bud, you're going to have to back it up for me," Jack said stepping around to face Mac. Mac had a familiar distant look on his face.

"Scopalomine was apparently used to make me easier to control and make me forget...why the extra drugs?" Everyone came in closer.

"Chemical torture?" Matty asked. Mac nodded and took a deep, shaky breath.

"So they got me to build the linked detonators, but they left them up with a code that puts them all offline. Why?" There was a startled pause.

"What are you thinking, Mac?" Bozer asked. Mac half-turned to face him.

"I think that there's something bigger going on here, something that's been going on for a long time." Mac thought of the clown lurking, watching his mother hold him at the park. Mac swallowed with difficulty. "I think I made more than those detonators," Mac said softly. He rubbed his forehead as a lightning bolt of agony crossed his skull.

"What?" Jack yelled in anger, "Those sons of bi-" Mac felt sweat run down his face and body. He squinted his eyes shut and moaned as the pain became flaming ice picks. "Mac?" Jack was at his side in a second. "What's going on?" Mac shook his head.

"A headache." Mac managed. Suddenly everything began to spin and fade; Mac gagged as what little was in his stomach was forcefully expelled. Mac gasped and felt himself falling everything turning gray-above it all he heard a blood-curdling scream. Mac didn't know if it was his or someone else's.

Jack set aside the trash Riley had managed to thrust into his hands before Mac hurled. Mac groaned and folded. Jack caught him and eased him to the carpet stretching him out. He looked up relieved to see Matty already on the phone to Medical.

"Mac? Hey buddy, c'mon now. You have to stop pulling this crap." Jack said gently slapping Mac's cheek. Mac's skin felt cold and clammy. Mac was still for a few minutes, then his eyes slowly opened. "Well, there you are, don't do that!" Jack groused. Mac blinked confused rubbing his temples.

"Who was screaming?" Mac said muzzily. The others shared a glance.

"No one." Jack offered. Did Mac mean in the video? Mac slowly sat up hissed in pain and held his head in his hands. "Mac?" Jack asked.

"I have a headache from hell," Mac muttered. He blinked and looked up eyes slitten against pain. "The screams, there's something about the screams." Mac pushed to his feet. Jack helped him.

"Mac, take a second-"

"No, I have to...before it's gone. The screams aren't right, the video…" Mac staggered forward a step. Jack steadied him.

"What do you mean before it's gone?" Jack asked meeting Mac's eyes. Mac blinked and looked at him confused. "Mac?"

"What am I doing here? What's going on?" Mac asked stepping back anxiety making his body tighten, and breath come faster.

"Mac?" Jack asked after shooting Matty a frantic glance. Mac backed up eyes wide with terror. His eyes darted like an animal looking for an escape from a trap. "Hey, hey...easy, it's ok." Mac automatically stood closer to Jack, his breathing shallow and fast.

"Jack, how'd I get here? What's going on?" Mac grabbed Jack's arm with a stranglehold. Jack pulled Mac in closer and slowly led him over to the couch. Mac sat so close to Jack; Jack could feel the kid's heart trip hammer against his side. The door opened, and Dr. Mendez entered. Mac saw him and cringed back, his pupils wide.

"What happened?" Dr. Mendez asked softly as he slowly moved closer to Mac.

"Mac was talking like the old Mac; then he said he had to get it out before it went away then he tripped into this." Jack kept his voice soft and calm. Dr. Mendez looked around at the others.

"Why don't you three give us a minute?"

"Of course," Matty said nodding at Bozer and Riley. After they left, Dr. Mendez slowly crouched down facing Mac and studied the blond for a long minute. The tall, balding man glanced at Jack.

"What was he talking about?" Dr. Mendez's voice was gentle and hypnotizing.

"He watched the video again; then he went on about how it was wrong-something about the screams. Then he said he had a migraine, puked and passed he woke up, he had no idea how he got here then freaked out." Dr. Mendez raised an eye brow. Mac stared at Dr. Mendez ready to bolt.

"It's like he was dosed again." Dr. Mendez said softly. Mac backed away as the man moved closer.

"Yeah, he's just like he was that first night…" Jack's voice trailed off as his throat suddenly tightened. Jack dreaded going back to where they were that night.

"I think this might be a conditioned response."

"A what-brainwashing?" Jack asked his heart thumping almost as fast as Mac's.

"Similar to that, yes." Dr. Mendez slowly backed away. Mac slowly loosened his death grip on Jack's shoulder, relaxing slowly. "It's like someone programmed him to go into this panic when he starts to process what happened to him." 

"So what do we do, Doc?" Jack asked.

"Right now, let him relax. I'd be surprised if he didn't sleep more. The sedative I gave him should still be having some effect, and this level of terror is hard to maintain. After, I think Fred can help us."

"Mac won't talk to her about this." Dr. Mendez smiled.

"He won't have to." Jack raised an eyebrow, but the psychiatrist didn't elaborate. "In the meantime, we have to analyze the sound on that video. There's something about those screams that triggers Mac." Jack nodded. Dr. Mendez nodded then left. Mac stared at the door a long time as if making sure it wasn't going to open again. Mac slowly eased back from Jack his breathing growing deeper and slower. Mac yawned his eyes heavy.

"Hey, Mac?" Mac blinked at him. "C'mon and lie down, you look tired." Mac nodded and slowly stretched out on the couch. Mac turned on his side and drifted asleep in seconds. Jack gently laid the blanket over him. Jack shook his head and brushed his hand through Mac's hair. Mac leaned into his touch and let out a deep sigh. Jack closed his eyes relieved and took a deep breath and rubbed his face.


	4. Chapter 4

Jack strode into the lab. Bozer leaned on the white table looking over Riley's shoulder. They both looked up. Bozer straightened worry on his face. Before he could say anything, Jack raised a reassuring hand.

"He's okay; he's resting. Matty's keeping an eye on him. What'd you find?"

"The screams on the video don't match up with the…" Riley looked down and swallowed. Bozer put a hand on her shoulder. Riley glanced over and nodded. "It was modified, I cleaned it up, and this is what it sounds like." Jack bowed his head. The blood-curdling scream echoed again, it was unearthly and had a desperation to it that raised the hair on Jack's neck. Jack felt in his bones that the sound held the terror only felt by those dying a slow hard death. Jack's jaw tightened. It was a sound he'd heard too many times without the benefit of a sound system. Jack looked up at Riley's moist expressive eyes filled with sympathy. Bozer, with his eyes closed and arms across his chest, looked haggard and old. The younger man opened his eyes and looked at Jack.

"It's not Mac, thank god," Bozer said rubbing his face. The heavy silence that followed screamed about the unacknowledged truth that while this may not be their friend, somewhere there was another sound track that was. Jack let out a deep breath.

"Ok, ok, then who?"

"More like a what," Riley said. Both men looked down at her. "It isn't human."

"What is it?" Jack asked frowning.

"If I had to guess, I'd say it was probably a goat."

"A goat?" Bozer said. "I watched hours of screaming goats on youtube, none of them sounded like that."  
"This was recorded as it died, painfully." Jack softly said. The others stared at him. Jack rubbed his chin. "My question is how did Mac recognize it?"

"He heard it before?" Bozer asked his voice hoarse. Jack nodded.

"When? Why?" Riley asked pushing to her feet. She turned and looked at Jack.

"What the hell is going on here?"

The house was broken. The middle of the roof had pushed in as if by some divine thumb, moon beams slid through the uneven hole thick with dust, pollen, and bat guano. The air inside the house is always moist, smells like mold and rotten potatoes. Moss grew along the walls and forgotten furniture. Chairs and couches made ageless by the gnawing of animals and nesting vermin, still stand in the places where the living once put them. Broken framed pictures long since fade to faceless mush, line the few walls still standing. Studs and powdered plaster are all that remains of the halls that once separated this room from that chamber. In the middle of the most solid part of the floor is a hole, perfectly round, cut by a hand saw leaving small edges visible around its circumference, like teeth in the mouth of a worm. Mac is bound, naked and alone. He looks up the dim light above him only slightly less dark than the blackness he is bound in. Mac can't see what is around him, but he hears slithering, squeaking and feels things brush his bare legs tied to something sharp and metal. A shadow looms over him, a familiar silhouette of a clown and mallet-Mac struggles to escape, but he can't move, he opens his mouth to scream, but can only choke around the gag shoved painfully deep in the back of his throat. He gags, unable to breathe….

Mac's eyes snapped open. He winced as flashes of color buzzed across his sight. His body shook as if he were seizing. Mac moaned unable to stop the spasms and jerking of his body. His jaw tightened, and his head slammed against the arm of the couch. Automatic tears ran down his face and screams seemed to reverberate around him in multi stereo echoes.

"Mac, Mac!" The voice was familiar, but Mac couldn't make out the speaker over the static maelstrom scalding his nervous system. "Medic, code red war room!" Mac's back arched and Mac felt something snap in his chest…

Mac opened his eyes slowly. He blinked and frowned. Mac sat up. Every muscle burned and shook as if he'd run four marathons end to end. Mac slowly sat up and dabbed at the sweat and tears running down his face. Mac took a deep breath and held his head in his hands. Mac jumped and jolted back surprised as Matty strode into the war room. She saw Mac was awake and smiled.

"Look who's awake, how do you feel, Mac?" Mac offered a weak grin. He took

A deep breath and shook his head.

"I don't know how much more I can take." Mac found himself blurting around a tight throat. He closed his eyes but couldn't stop the steady burning trails of tears leaking from his eyes. He felt her small hands wrap around the tight fists he hadn't known he'd made. Her hands were warm, firm. Everything else felt fluid and foggy.

"Mac, look at me." Mac looked up into Matty's soft eyes desperate for a lifeline, something to keep him here, grounded. "We're going to get you through this. You aren't alone, ok?" Mac nodded and carefully unmade his fists wiping at his sweaty forehead with a shaking hand.

"I feel like I'm...I'm losing touch, Matty," Mac said in a soft whisper.

"What do you mean?" Matty asked worriedly. Mac's face was white, waxen.

Mac shook his head and angrily swatted at the tears that insisted on falling. Mac jumped, and he hunched looking around the room, eyes wild and breathing fast. Matty stood up and grabbed Mac's face in both of hers.

"Mac. Mac. MAC!" Mac jumped and blinked looking at her surprised. "Talk to me, what are you seeing?"

"Hearing, screams...always screams…" Mac said closing his eyes. Matty shook him until he focused on her completely.

"That's over, Mac. You're safe. Ok, you're safe." Mac's eyebrows raised when he found himself wrapped into a small but comforting hug. Mac leaned into it and hugged Matty back feeling her concern support and soothe the nightmares away, at least for the minute. He pulled back and cleared his throat.

"Thanks." Mac murmured not meeting Matty's eyes.

"Blondie," Mac looked up reluctantly. Matty offered him an amused smile.

"Don't make this weird." Mac found himself laughing and nodded. "And, Mac, don't tell Jack, he'll get jealous."

"Of you or me?" They both burst out laughing.

" Where is everyone?" Matty studied him a long minute as if deciding something. Mac didn't look away. Mac looked worn to the bone but ready to keep slugging. Matty nodded and patted the kid on the shoulder.

"They went down to the lab so Riley could dissect the screams on the video to see what triggered you." Mac winced at the word 'disect' but managed to smooth it away unnoticed. Mac nodded and stood up and stumbled a step. Matty grabbed his hand. "Where the hell do you think you're going?" Mac looked down at her and rubbed his face as he swayed.

"I'm going down to the lab." He said as if that was obvious. Mac took a step back closing his eyes feeling sea sick as everything dipped and sloshed around him. Matty held onto his hand to keep him upright.

"Sit down before you fall!" Matty snapped. Mac fell back and looked up at Matty surprised as he found his body following her orders without his consent. Matty rolled her eyes. "Stay!" She snapped heading to the door. Mac was going to follow her anyway but realized he probably wouldn't make it to the door. He leaned forward and put his head in his hands. He felt like a band of steel spikes were digging into his skull. His mouth felt like something small and furry had curled up and died in there. He took a deep breath trying to ease away the fuzzy confusion. Mac glanced up and looked around him. He felt as if someone else was in the room, close. All the hairs on his neck stood on end. No one else was there.

"Paranoid," Mac muttered. He tried to unknot the stress bunching in his muscles. Chills crept up his spine. Then he heard the soft sound, a scuff of a shoe. He pushed to his feet only to feel something grab him by the front of his shirt and lifted off his feet. It felt like a metal claw. Mac was thrown over someone's shoulder, it felt hard like a steel shell. Mac slammed onto the carpet with a groan. He felt two solid kicks to his side. Mac cried out and kicked. He hit something solid. The table moved back, and the bowl of paperclips exploded across the room. Mac tried to roll to his feet, but he was grabbed from behind and dragged to his feet painfully. Mac's head slammed from side to side blood arching from broken lips and nose. Mac dimly felt himself body slammed to the ground then a substantial weight, a heavy metal boot, rested on his collar bone. Mac jumped hearing a soft whisper in his ear.

"Anytime, anywhere, MacGyver. You can't run. We own you, we always have." Mac looked over and saw nothing; no one else was in the room. The weight on his chest dug in, grinding against something broken in his chest. Mac tried to scream, but nothing came out. Then something slammed him into darkness.


	5. Chapter 5

"So what's our next step?" Bozer asked as he walked beside Riley and trailed behind Jack and Matty.

"Riley, Mac said that you could figure out where they shot that video of us, did you do that?" Jack asked glancing over his shoulder.

"Not yet, but it shouldn't be hard it's just a matter of…" All four froze as they entered the war room. Mac laid sprawled on the carpet, his face bruised, swollen and bloody. Matty crossed to the wall and slapped the intruder alert button, Riley called medical, Bozer knelt beside Mac and took his hand.

"MAC!" Jack yelled running to his friend's side. Jack sat back in relief as he felt a sharp, steady pulse. He gently felt Mac's head, other than the facial bruising and swelling; Jack didn't find anything that seemed life threatening. Jack lifted the kid's shirt and drew back in horror. Black swollen bruising covered his sternum, in the unmistakable image of an abnormally large boot. For a second, Jack thought of the oversized shoe of a clown. He shook away the inconsequential thought as Mac hissed in pain and shot out an arm grabbing Jack's shirt.

"J..k!" Mac wheezed. Jack leaned closer so Mac could see him. Mac's blue eyes were twin pools of pain and confusion. "Are... you...real?" Jack jerked back surprised. He exchanged a worried look with Bozer.

"Yeah, brother, I'm real, we're all here…"

"Can't tell...hurts...hole...no...one here…" Mac's eyes closed slowly only to bounce open as he gasped in pain and tried to roll on his side.

"Boze, help me get him on his side," Jack said. Bozer leaned forward and together they turned Mac gently on his left side. Mac's breathing immediately improved. The blond took a couple of deep breaths. Mac's hand clutched Jack's shirt as the younger man forced himself to breathe through the pain. "That's it, easy." Jack encouraged gently rubbing Mac's back. "Better?" Mac offered a pained smile.

"Fan...tastic. What happened?" Jack finally breathed a bit easier, hearing more of his regular partner in Mac's voice. Mac moved to push himself up from the ground moaning.

"Where the hell do you think you're going?" Bozer snapped before Jack could. Mac looked up, surprised. He hadn't noticed the others. Mac looked at Jack.

"Help me up."

"I'm going to assume that's the broken ribs talking; you aren't moving my brother." Mac laid back on his side and glared at Jack.

"Medical will be up in five," Riley said bending over Bozer's shoulder.

"What did you see, Mac? How many were there?" Matty asked. Mac blinked at her and frowned. Jack could see him drifting away. Jack gently shook Mac's shoulder. Mac gasped and opened his eyes.

"There wasn't anybody...no...body…" Mac's eyes closed. The others exchanged confused glances.

"Riley?" Jack asked.

"On it." Riley tapped a few keys, and everyone turned to see Mac's beating unfold on the wall screen.

"What in the hell?" Bozer asked standing up. It looked like Mac was being assaulted by a poltergeist. "Guys, I am officially freaked the fuck out." Before they could say anything, they all heard the whispered words and felt cold claw down their spines.

 _Anytime, anywhere, MacGyver. You can't run. We own you, we always have._ Jack felt a terror in the deepest part of his bones. Looking down at his beaten friend, his brother who he long ago swore to keep safe no matter what, Jack realized that he had no way of keeping Mac safe from these unseen attackers. Jack's heart pounded like a bird trying to break out of its cage. He saw a mirrored horror on Matty's face. Medical arrived. Jack backed up so the medics could do their work.

"I think it might be time to take a road trip." Jack murmured to Matty. Matty didn't face him, her face was thoughtful.

"Riley, did you try…"  
"Every spectrum, every filter, everything I can think of," Riley said her face tight with anxiety. Matty turned to Jack and nodded. Jack patted her on the shoulder and went down to medical with Mac. The others went to follow.

"No, you two stay here. We need to figure out what happened. Matty tilted her head as she listed to the TAC radio she held. She stepped away and talked to the teams scouring the building for signs of intrusion. Riley turned to ask Bozer a question when she saw him staring at the paper clips strewn across the floor.

"Bozer? You ok?" Bozer frowned and looked at Riley.

"This just reminds me of a project Mac did for lit in high school." Matty crossed back to them. She and Riley shared a confused look then stared at Bozer. Bozer slowly walked in a circle but didn't say anything.

"Well, spill." Matty snapped.

"Boss, I know this is going to sound weird…"

"Bozer, everything about this is weird. Spill."

"Well, Mac and I had a creative writing assignment where we had to write a solution to this closed room mystery."

"Easy A," Riley added thinking Mac could escape one of those in a heartbeat.

"You would think so wouldn't you?" Bozer's sigh had a sad note. "Mac was bored with the easy way of doing things of course and hated having to waste time on stupid assignments that didn't amount to anything-his words, not mine. So he wrote about these assassins that had invisible armor." Matty's eyebrow raised, and she stepped forward.

"I don't think that kid's over active imagination on a writing assignment…" She began.

"Matty, this is Mac we're talking about, not only did he present the mechanics for how the suits could be made but also included theoretical specs."

Riley and Matty shared astonished glances. Bozer held up a hand. "Now, later Mac would say there was no way his idea could have worked, you know in real life, but a lot of his basic ideas were sound and like some stuff they have today."

"Still that's a big stretch." Matty said, "even if MacGyver was onto something that's a long way from building functional suits."

"Somebody did." Riley offered. Matty nodded.

"Ok, you two find me that somebody. There can't be too many people with the resources to pull this off; I'll rattle some cages and see what falls out, Riley, do you have the address of where that video was taken?"

"I have it right...here." Riley's computer pinged. Matty nodded making a note of the address.

"Ok, I'll get that checked out too, " Matty said as she turned and left the room. Riley started looking for people who had been working on Chameleon armor and looked for any info she could find about what tech if any was out there. He brain sizzled faster than her hands typed as Riley thought about different angles of nailing this down. She didn't have near the compartmentalization ability Jack or Mac had, but when it came to computers her brain slid into another mode, and everything else seemed to float away.

"Riley?" Bozer's soft voice made her look up. Bozer was looking up at the large wall screen at the stilled image of Mac laying on the carpet. Riley felt a tightness in her throat but forced away from the pain of seeing her friend sprawled beaten bloody.

"Yeah?" She expected Bozer to be wild with worry or scared. He was, but there was a deeper rational fear on his face. Riley straightened and gave him her full attention.

"What if Mac built these ninja suits?"

"What?" Riley dismissed, returning to her computer. Bozer followed her and sat across from her.

"No, hear me out. Mac said he thought he'd been forced to build something more than those detonators…"  
"That's ridiculous, Bozer. If he'd been able to do something like that, we'd know about it. Besides, there's no way he could have over two days." Bozer rubbed his face and nodded.

"You're right. I'm just letting mine over active imagination run wild. I just want this to be over."

"No kidding."

"Riley, I'm not sure how much more Mac can take." Riley's head snapped up. Bozer stared at his hands laying on the table. Riley set the laptop aside.

"Bozer, we're going to fix this." Bozer looked up and nodded and rubbed his face again.

"Ok, what do you need me to do?"

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

The artificial flesh tone of the clown's face was splattered and dripped with blood as he danced, bringing the mallet down. The screams rattled through Mac's bones. He tried to block it out, tried to run away in his head. STOP, he begged. The clown squealed, delighted by the misery he created. The mallet rose, paused then slapped into the screaming animal again. Bones snapped. The wet shrieks pierced sharper than sound vibrating through bones, heart, lungs, muscles, and sinew. Mac's body cramped unable to breathe. The demented clown giggled and slammed the mallet down again…

"...back!"

"Still falling, again!" Lightening burning, pounding, Mac tried to scream, but there was nothing left...His body shook and seized...blackness, the smell of moldy, rotten vegetation, the jagged teeth of the hole above him seemed to shut...Mac struggled against the tight bindings until they dug deep through skin to bone, he could feel the warm wash of blood...time passed, or didn't Mac couldn't tell anymore. He could hear the squeaking of excited vermin drawn by the smell of his blood...then tiny tongues, and teeth….Mac screamed…

Mac's eyes blinked open, and he groaned lost in ripples of agony. His breath caught in his chest...it hurt too much, Mac began to panic, he couldn't breathe!

"Hey, hey, easy, easy...breathe slow, that's it, easy you're ok." Mac's eyes followed the familiar voice to Jack's face. Jack leaned over him face lined with worry. Mac closed his eyes and forced his body to follow Jack's example. The pain didn't lessen, but Mac's body soon returned to its normal rhythms. He sighed in relief. "Better, bud?" Jack asked. Mac nodded and opened his eyes taking in his surroundings.

"Jack, what's going on?" Mac asked confused. Was he still dreaming? Jack laughed and answered as if Mac had said the question out loud.

"I figured you could use a vacation." Mac raised an eyebrow and slowly sat up. Jack leaned down and helped him. Mac rubbed his eyes, but the world remained the same. Instead of medical, which Mac expected. He lay curled in the back of Jack's Shelby wrapped in blankets and pillows. They had parked at a gas station along side a busy highway.

"Where are we?" Jack scratched his head doing some mental math.

"Probably about a third of the way into our trip," Jack replied vaguely. Mac blinked and felt anger spark.

"Jack, what the hell is going on!" Mac winced with pain as he raised his voice. Jack's face turned grim.

"We've gone dark."

"What?" Mac blinked. Jack sighed and sat back leaning against the back seat.

"Mac, there was no way I could keep you safe in Phoenix so…"

"So we're on a mystery road trip." Mac groused. He leaned back letting out a long breath and closed his eyes. Jack studied him concerned.

"Look the others will figure out who is behind this, we'll get it sorted, for now, we just have to…"

"Jack, it's fine," Mac said his tired eyes meeting Jack's. "It's a good idea."

"Ok, who are you and what did you do with my partner?" Jack said backing up surprised. Mac chuckled and shook his head.

"I'm just too tired to care right now," Mac said. Jack felt his heart thud. For the first time, he saw how close to falling off the ragged edge Mac was. Jack wished he'd thought of this weeks ago. He patted Mac on the shoulder.

"Mac, I promise you it'll get better." Mac offered a wan smile and looked around him. Mac felt Jack's heavy gaze for another minute before the older man stepped back, shut the door and continued filling the gas tank. Mac leaned back. Part of him felt like a coward for running, part of him felt dread-felt eyes still follow him, cameras still tape him-but mostly, Mac was just relieved to be away. Mac felt like his body was a fist that was stiffly uncurling after months of being ready to fight. He closed his eyes and leaned back pulling the covers over him, almost at peace.


	6. Chapter 6

The diner was empty except for Matty's contact who sat sipping tea in the booth farthest from the door. Matty walked over and slid across the leatherette cushion. The woman across from her was only a little taller than she was and was a legend in the intelligence field. Matty took a thick file slid across the table to her and immediately slid it into her bag.

"What's good?" She asked.

"The tea is delicious; I recommend licorice and lemongrass." Matty grinned and shook her head.

"You and your tea! Have you heard anything?" The other woman took a sip of her drink and leaned forward her eyes automatically scanning the diner.

"Beware you tread on the ice, and it doth slowly crack."

"Where's that from?"

"Hell if I know. Matty, walk carefully. Corydon is big."

"Bigger than Valhalla?" The woman stood up and tossed a bill on the table.

"Valhalla was a tiny toe." The woman turned and left. Matty's heart pounded as she studied the woman's abandoned tea. The fact that her contact had abandoned an $8.00 cup of tea spoke volumes. Matty gathered her bag and returned to Phoenix. There she found that Bozer and Riley had accompanied a TAC insertion team out to the building they suspected of being the videographer's haunt. Matty sat at her desk and pulled out the folder. It was records of a Project Narcissus. Matty scowled, who named these things? Matty started reading, the gist of it was that the R and D of military intelligence, NSA, CIA and other agencies without known names had pooled their resources together trying to perfect the perfect chameleon camouflage.

Most of the file contained charts and graphs from scientific studies, reports on experiments and engineering notes. Matty flipped through these not understanding a word. The back half of the file was information about scientists and engineers who worked on the project without knowing it. Matty felt her heart jump as she turned a page and found a report on a research focus group at MIT. Scanning the participants, she was not surprised to see 'MacGyver, Angus H.'. Matty frowned. His name was circled, and a handwritten note was written beside it 'one of Corydon's.' Matty leaned back. How long had Corydon been interested in MacGyver? What or who was Corydon? Matty had the uneasy feeling of being a fly innocently flying too close to a spider web. And Valhalla, the largest conspiracy in the US's history was a small part of it?

Matty glanced at her watch. Jack had been on the road for almost 10 hours. They should be stopping for the night. She turned to her computer and drafted a secure email and sent it. Matty had no idea when or if Jack would reply nor did she have any idea what their final destination was. The only ones who knew they'd left were Dr. Mendez and Doc Carl, even the rest of medical had no idea. Jack had taken Mac unconscious directly from Medical and left. Matty chewed her lip, she hated having her agents out of reach, but Jack was one of her best and Mac was an asset they couldn't afford to lose. Matty pulled a loose lock of hair away from her face. More than that, Mac was a friend, and after what he had been through, after what her mistakes had put him through, he deserved better than her best.

Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Riley and Bozer sat in the back of a shining black Explorer watching as the black insertion team surrounded the squat white square like ants around a sugar cube. Riley had not been able to find any owner since a woman who'd run a hair salon back in the late '80s. Graffitied boards covered the large front window and smaller ones on the side. The second story's boards have been removed and instead had broken glass hanging like fingernails along the skeletal metal frames. Riley glanced at Bozer. His shoulders bunched with tension, he leaned forward, and his jaw muscles twitched.

"Hey, you ok?" Riley surprised herself by whispering. Bozer looked at her with a raised eyebrow and smirk. Before he could say anything they heard the distinctive pop and sizzle of flash-bangs as the insertion team flooded into the building. Riley nodded at Bozer and stepped out of the vehicle shouldering her bag and putting the TAC com in her ear. Bozer followed suit. They waited, it didn't take long. 

"Ok, TAC clear." Riley nodded at Bozer and crossed the cracked overgrown parking lot to the door that hung limply from its rusting hinges. Riley nodded at the security detail that flanked the door. They nodded. Riley gagged as she entered. The air was thick with cobwebs, dust, and molds. The ground floor was dark except for flashlights that seemed to float by themselves.

"Anything?" Riley called to the black suited soldiers.

"Negative, it's completely empty down here."

"You have to see this!" A female TAC team member called from upstairs. Riley nodded even though she doubted the woman could see her in the dim light. Riley started scaling a narrow staircase. She kept her back to the cement wall to the left of the stairs as she felt the moist give of the wood. Bozer followed her example.

As they got closer to the top of the stairs, everything became lighter. It was close to sunset, and the broken windows had a western exposure causing the white peeling paint to take on an orange and red glow. Riley thought the curls looked like small flames licking the wall. Riley followed the TAC team to a narrow corridor that opened into a back room.

"What in the hell?" Bozer gasped. Riley agreed. The room was newly painted and well lit. The large spotlight hung from the rear cement wall and appeared to run with a solar cell set in a square hole in the ceiling. The wall it illuminated held the entire team's attention in horror. Riley covered her mouth and turned away fighting not to gag at the smell.

Layer upon layer of photos of Mac was taped covering every inch of the wall. There were pictures of him as a baby, pictures of a toddler, high school, MIT, even a few photos of him in the field in Afghanistan. Bozer swallowed seeing his face as a boy, as a teen and as recent as six months ago featuring in the pictures. In all of them, Mac's face was stabbed, crossed out violently with a red or black marker. In the center of the wall was a stack of newspaper clippings, the top one with a headline 'the one who got away.' A sharp boning knife dripping with dried stringy blood impaled the pile of yellowed articles, holding them on the wall. Sprawled on the floor in a bassinet was a kid. The young goat had been beaten almost flat. Next to the bassinet leaning against the wall was a giant wooden mallet, the double head also covered with blood. Bozer turned and ran from the room. Riley could distantly hear him retching at the bottom of the stairs. Riley gritted her teeth and forced herself to take a closer look at the scene.

She noticed blood spray that covered the fresh white paint. There wasn't enough; the goat hadn't been butchered in this room. Riley frowned.

"Shall we get crime scene in?"

"Yeah, make sure to record all this and…" Riley's voice tapered off as she caught a closer look at the knife. Embedded in the handle was a flash drive. "Do that first, so I can see what's on it." The TAC member nodded and turned away speaking into the radio on his shoulder. Riley closed her eyes and crossed to the front room, leaning out the broken window taking in the fresh air. The goat had been locked in under the solar light for quite awhile judging from the decomposition and maggots. Riley closed her eyes and fought not to puke.

"Oh, Mac," Riley whispered.

Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Jack yawned and glanced at his watch. It was getting near time to settle for the night. He glanced at Mac through his rear view mirror. The blond had slept most of the ride soundly. Every couple hours Jack had pulled up to get gas, economic was not the Shelby's main selling point, he'd rouse the younger man and get him to eat something. Mac would dutifully eat what was in front of him, use the restroom, then return to the car and be out in seconds. Jack took in a deep breath of mountain air. The sky was clear, and as he drove through the Rockies, the stars looked like he could reach up and pluck them from the heavens. It was cool, but Jack decided to leave the top down as long as he could. He felt as if the pain and anguish that had haunted them the past year was finally washed from both of them. Of course, Jack knew better than to think it would last. It never did. The thought was barely crossing his mind when he heard Mac begin to moan and mumble.

"Dammit," Jack growled feeling guilty. "Mac? Hey, Mac!" Mac either couldn't hear him over the wind and soft country music or was too deeply asleep. Jack sighed and saw a sign that said there'd be a scenic overlook in 5 miles. Jack drove faster as Mac's struggling became louder and more desperate. The scenic overlook was a lane separated from the highway with parking spaces alongside a fenced grassy area lined with wooden fences. On the other side was a cliff drop. Jack pulled past two cars that had foggy windows and shadows moving inside them and one van that had kayaks on the roof and a woman yelling at a boy who evidently puked down his front. Jack pulled into the space farthest away.

Jack grimaced and pocketed the keys as he opened the back driver's door. He knelt and caught Mac as his pillowed head lost its brace and flopped forward. Mac cried with pain, and his eyes snapped open. Jack winced at the agony on the younger man's bruised and swollen face. Mac's back arched and he began to gasp for breath. Panicking, he blindly reached out and grabbed Jack's black T-shirt. Jack carefully lifted Mac and pulled out the pillows. Jack slid sideways behind Mac and held the blonde in the crook of his arm.

"Now you know better than that." Jack gently chided. He smiled when a look of annoyance replaced panic. Jack helped Mac sit up higher. "Slow down, easy, easy...that's it. See we're getting pretty good at this, pretty soon we'll be able to teach those La Mans classes."

"La...maz...Lamaze classes, Jack...and they're only...if you're pregnant." Mac managed as he sucked in air.

"Why do you think I said La MANS classes?" Jack chortled. Mac looked at him with a mixture of pain and confusion. The blond shook his head and slowly pushed himself to sitting. As he helped him, Jack couldn't help noticing that the younger man was shivering and sweaty. Jack studied his partner as Mac straightened and leaned his head back on the seat eyes closed taking long, even breaths. Mac opened one eye and looked at Jack.

"What?"

"You look like crap." Mac held his chest as he laughed.

"That's good; I'd hate to think I felt this bad and looked perfectly healthy." Jack smiled with Mac, but couldn't keep the worry from his dark eyes. Mac sighed and slowly slid himself across the seat to the back passenger's door.

"Where are you going?" Jack said already sliding out the door and walking around the car. Mac raised an eyebrow and shook his head.

"I have to stand up, I feel like a pretzel."

"Fair enough, here." Jack held the door open and offered an arm. Mac took it and staggered to his feet. Jack steadied Mac with both hands until the blond got his feet under him. Jack stayed beside his partner as they walked over to the grassy area. Mac leaned on the wooden fence and glanced over the cliff. He swayed backward. Jack caught him around his waist and turned him away from the edge.

"Why do you always have to do that? It says cliff, sure let's lean over it. It's hot, sure let's touch it. You're worse than my 12-year-old niece!" Jack groused. Mac backed up and closed his eyes bending over. "Mac?"

"I just need to sit…" Mac mumbled. Jack caught him as his legs turned to noodles. Jack shook his head and gently stretched the kid out on the grass. Mac flopped his hands and feet at his side and closed his eyes. Jack returned to the car and grabbed a pillow and blanket. When he returned to his friend's side, Mac was looking up at the vast starred dome above them.

"1037." Mac declared putting a hand on his head.

"What?" Jack asked sliding a pillow under the younger man's head and covering him with the blanket.

"That's how fast the Earth rotates at the equator." Jack frowned down at him.

"Ok?"

"I think my head is ticking in at about 5000." Mac groaned. Jack chuckled.

"I wouldn't be surprised. You got the crap beat out of you." Mac opened his eyes and blinked. He raised his hand. Jack felt worried cramping in his gut. Did the kid see things? Instead, Mac pointed at the sky.

"See that?" Jack laid down beside Mac and followed his finger. A meandering path of stars bisected the sky from East to West. Mac looked over at him, Jack smiled. Even in the dim light of the overlooks lamps, he could see the childlike enthusiasm swimming in those blue eyes. "That's the milky way." Jack nodded. "That's an arm of our galaxy passing across our horizon high enough to see it."

"That's cool." Jack admitted. Mac grinned.

"You can see so many stars out here," Mac said softly. Mac then began to point out constellations. Jack knew enough that he could navigate using stars, but he'd never actually been able to see the shapes others saw. The only one that looked like its name was the big dipper. After a time, they fell silent. Despite the noise the family in the van was making, Jack could hear the call of an owl, and occasionally a bat screeched into the glow of the lights snagging moths and other bugs buzzing around them. Mac sighed. Jack looked over at him and frowned.

"What's up, bud?" Mac's face seemed sad. Mac met his gaze, and he smiled wanly.

"Sometimes I wish we could just…" Mac huffed and pushed himself to sit. He held a hand bracing his chest and closed his eyes grunting in pain. Jack sat up too.

"Just what?"

"It doesn't matter. We should probably get going unless this is your secret destination?"

"No, I pulled over because you were having another nightmare." Jack studied Mac's face. Mac looked down and reached out pulling up grass. Mac glanced at Jack.

"You want to know what it was about?"

"Talking might help." Mac huffed and looked away, leaning back on his elbows.

"It's just the usual…"

"Which is?" Mac sat up, a little too fast. He closed his eyes and swayed. Jack steadied him, glad for once Mac was already on the ground. Mac gathered himself and pulled free of Jack.

"It doesn't matter," Mac muttered. He went to push himself up. Jack grabbed his arm and pulled him back. Mac flopped back to his elbows. He glared at Jack. "Jack, just leave it."

"I have been, maybe I shouldn't have. Talk to me, brother." Mac's face softened and he laid back after pushing the pillow under his head.

"After I got home from the hospital, all my dreams were...I guess memories or images? Feelings mostly, flashes…" Mac's voice drifted off, and his eyes took on a thousand yards as he stared up at the infinite starry field. "Then I started having dreams about a house, in the woods. It's abandoned and falling apart. It looks like the family just left then the moisture and woods started to reclaim it." Mac sat up and raised his knees to his chest circling them with his arms. Jack sat up frowning. He could feel Mac's body slowly tighten with anxiety. Mac rested his chin on his knees.

"I'm tied up. There's dark, animals...and screams…" Mac worked to push the words past a noose that seemed to strangle his air. Mac closed his eyes and began shaking, he put his hands over his ears and began to breathe fast. Jack scooted closer and wrapped the kid up in the blanket and put his arm around the younger man, snugging him in close. Mac leaned into Jack without realizing it. Jack rubbed Mac's back. The family in the van packed up and left. Eventually, Mac sniffed and rubbed his face with the back of his hand. Mac wiped at tears that glossed his cheeks. He curled the blanket around him tighter Jack waited, letting the kid decide whether to keep going or not. Mac took a shaky breath and puffed it out. Mac stared up at the stars and the shadows of the peaks circling them.

"It's getting cold," Mac said softly. Jack nodded.

"We better get going, then," Jack said. He stood up, his knees cracking. For once Jack didn't mind Mac's chuckle. Jack waited, but the joke didn't come. Mac groaned as Jack helped him stagger to his feet. The blond yawned.

"I can't believe I'm still tired," Mac said around another yawn.

"Maybe you're just like a baby that sleeps better in the car." Mac's mouth quirked into a smile.

"At least I don't sound like a breakfast cereal every time I move." Jack frowned following Mac back to the car. Mac rolled his eyes, "You know- snap, crackle, pop?" 

"Oh, ha-ha you're hilarious, get in the damn car."


	7. Chapter 7

Matty scowled at the photos spread across the table. She lifted one. It showed MacGyver, probably about 15. Matty smiled. Mac was tall and gangly with a sun-dyed mop of platinum hair and tanned skin. He sat on a large log with an arm around a shaggy dark haired dog. Matty's smile evaporated. It would have been a great picture except for the red slashes crossing Mac's face several times. These had been put in by a pen pressed hard enough to rip the paper. Matty dropped the photo onto the pile with others.

"Anything?" Riley hunched behind her laptop. Bozer leaned over the newspaper clippings he'd placed in order by date. Matty crossed to him as he stood up and looked at her. Bozer's face was pale and looked more serious than Matty had ever thought it could.

"Matty…" Bozer shook his head and ran his hair through his hair, "This is some seriously sick shit." Matty leaned over and frowned. She pulled out one that had a colored drawing of a clown, the same clown seen in the home movie left for Mac. Matty silently shot a question to Bozer. He took a deep breath. "All these seem to be from Sonrisa, a town in Oregon…"

"What?" Riley asked her head popping up. Bozer and Matty looked at her surprised.

"Sonrisa, Oregon." Riley stood up and crossed over to them.

"That's the town where Jack found Mac after he'd been kidnapped."

"What?" Bozer exclaimed.

"Yeah."

"We had wondered why he'd been taken there from Nor-Cal," Matty said.

"Man, this just keeps getting creepier and creepier," Bozer said visibly shuddering.

"No kidding." Riley agreed. "So what's in the articles?"

"Well, in the early '90s I guess there was a bunch of kids that disappeared. They were taken from parks, schools, stores, and one off the school bus."

"By him?" Matty asked holding up the picture of the clown. Bozer nodded and swallowed.

"Most of them turned up three or four days later…" Bozer looked like he was going to puke, "They were beaten to death."

"By a mallet?" Riley asked staring at the picture of the bloody hammer they'd found.

"Something wooden. There weren't any clues until one of this clown's victims escaped."

"Mac?" Riley asked tears in her eyes. Bozer shrugged.

"I don't know. The only thing the papers said is it was a five-year-old boy. He described the clown."

"Did Mac ever live in Oregon?" Matty asked. Riley returned to her laptop.

"As far as I know he's always lived in Mission City," Bozer said pulling on his bottom lip. Riley shook her head.

"I don't have any record of Mac in Oregon." There was a long minute of silence.

"Did they ever catch this guy?" Matty asked.

"The last clipping is this one." Bozer held up the clipping that said 'The One that Got Away.' Matty glanced at Riley who was already tapping.

"I can't find any other mention of this guy or any other crimes with the same MO." Matty looked over at the pictures.

"So what is this guy's issue with Mac?" Matty ran her hand through her hair. "And where did he get all these pictures."

"Some of them are copies of ones that I have at home," Bozer said. He crossed over to the pile of photos and pointed to a grouping of four. "These are from the time Mac lived with me. My mama took these." Riley leaned over and lifted the pictures studying them carefully.

"I don't know for certain, but I think these were printed from the original negatives."

"How?" Bozer raised his hands, his voice a frustrated shout. "How can anyone follow someone around like this for all these years and no one notice? Who could do that? I know the NSA and CIA watch the whole cell network and the internet today, but this was back in the '90s!"  
"Another question, why?"

"If it's this clown sicko...that's a whole 'nother dial on the creep meter."

"Well, let's start chasing down some answers…" Matty was interrupted by her cell ringing. She answered and listened for a long minute a puzzled look on her face. She disconnected with a frown.

"That's oversight; they request my presence." Riley glanced at Bozer with a puzzled frown.

"Is everything ok, Matty?" Riley asked. Matty let out a huff of air.

"I'm not sure. Keep digging." The others nodded at her as she left. Matty walked out to the elevator her mind whirling. She didn't like any of this at all, and she suspected her unexpected trip to oversight was connected somehow.

"Hey, Sharon." Matty greeted as she opened the outer office door. The chairman's secretary stood up and crossed out from behind her desk. Matty easily saw how the woman's body was as she led Matty back to the chair's office. Matty stepped in and stopped an eyebrow hitting her hairline. Instead of the portly male chairman of the oversight committee, she was expecting, a tall, thin woman in a neat pale pastel purple skirt and matching jacket came from around the desk. The woman moved elegantly, with her sharp angular jaw the woman reminded Matty of a praying mantis-not a comforting image.

"There you are, Mathilda. Do you mind if I call you Matty?" The woman's voice squeaked with a strain like an over-tuned piano string about to snap.

"Who are you? Where is the Chairman?" Matty demanded not moving. The woman sat down behind the desk. She turned the chair sideways and crossed her legs. She had sharp bony knees and wore plain black flats.

"He was kind enough to let me use his office, sit. Please." The woman's face didn't change expression, but her odd rust colored eyes were hard as stone. Matty narrowed her eyes studying the woman for a long minute. Matty smiled sweetly and climbed into the low chair, pressing a lever to raise it. The woman sat back and templed her long fingers. Her blood red nails matched her plush smile. Matty took in the woman's neat curl of rust red hair that had a white streak at her left temple and coughed to hide her smile. The woman looked like an insect version of Cruella De Ville. The woman's eyes narrowed, and she leaned forward.

"I am Valencia Pharee-Grace. I am here to help you." The woman slowly sat back and framed her face with her index finger leaning on her thumb.

"I wasn't aware I needed your help." Matty's voice was sweet, open. The woman's eyebrows dropped with the weight of her glare. Matty thought Valencia didn't want to be here any more than Matty did. "Who do you work for?"

"That's need to know." Valencia sat back and waved her hand dismissively.

"I think I need to know," Matty replied not trying to hide the edge of hostility that came out with her words.

"No, darling, I'm afraid you don't. Even the entire oversite committee doesn't have the clearance. Now, about your little problem…"

"Problem?" Valencia's lip raised in a sneer half a second before she could erase it. Matty smiled sweetly. Valencia slid a blue folder across the desk to Matty. Matty picked it up and read the label.

"Dewayne Stratson? Who's he?"

"He's the clown that is after MacGyver." Matty's eyebrow raised.

"What do you know about this?" Matty growled. Valencia sighed.

"Stratson was an operative…"

"For what agency?"

"You don't need to know. Stratson had been tasked to gather long term surveillance on MacGyver…" Matty jumped up and slapped the file down on the desk.

"What the hell? Who are you?" Valencia stood and leaned over the desk. If she thought she'd intimidate Matty, she was wrong. Matty glared up at the taller woman. Valencia's nose flared.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that. Stratson went off book…"

"Became a serial killer you mean." Matty's eyes narrowed. Valencia looked down.

"Yes, well. It was an unexpected development." The woman held up a bony hand forestalling Matty's burst of outrage. "I feel the same way you do." Matty swallowed her disgust. The woman was hard to read, but Matty would swear she meant what she said. Valencia sat back down. "I'm sorry to say; his behavior is not why I am here. He's managed to align himself with some...disturbing associates. They are now in possession of several prototypes…"

"The chameleon suits?" Matty asked. Matty smiled at the woman's discomfort.

"How do you know about those?"

"Well, since one came in here and beat the shit out of MacGyver I think the cat is out of the bag." Valencia slumped back her mouth forming a circle.

"One was here? Inside Phoenix?" Matty nodded. Valencia tapped her chin with a long fingernail.

"That makes this more urgent. Where is MacGyver?"

"I don't know." Valencia's eyes narrowed.

"If you don't tell me, I can't protect him."  
"I promise you; I don't know." Matty met the woman's glare with one of her own. Valencia nodded.

"He's with Dalton, no doubt. That will have to do, for now, I suppose. Focus on finding Stratson, getting those prototypes back is of primary importance." Matty snorted.

"Sure." She turned to leave.

"And, Mathilda, call me when you hear from Mac." Matty turned her smile a frigid knife's edge.

"Not damn likely." Valencia openly snarled standing up. Matty hesitated, tilted her head and asked, "Are you with Corydon?" Valencia's face flashed surprise and fear before it smoothed. Matty smiled and nodded opening the door. Valencia crossed the room in two long strides and pushed the door shut with considerable force.

"What do you know about Corydon?" Matty looked up.

"I came across the name when we were bringing down Valhalla." Matty lied. Valencia smiled, and tension seemed to float off her shoulders.

"I'm sure. I won't keep you." Valencia stepped aside. Matty nodded and left the office. Sharon was studying her computer as if it was the fountain of youth and her eyes could drink it. Matty stepped over.

"What do you know?" Matty asked softly. Sharon jumped at the sound of her voice and glanced nervously over her shoulder.

"Matty, I can't." Sharon pleaded her eyes wide with fear. Matty nodded and turned.

"Tell the twins Aunty Matty loves them." Sharon smiled and nodded.

Cccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccccc

Jack yawned as he took the exit. As he stopped waiting for the light, he rubbed his face. Jack had decided he didn't want to stop and kept driving. He glanced at his watch and blinked the numbers into focus. Jack had driven a full 24 hours. He glanced in the back and laughed. Mac laid buried in a marshmallow of blankets and pillows only his blond hair sticking straight up in a hundred directions visible. A horn behind him made him look up and realize he had the green arrow. Jack turned into a truck stop. He pulled up and got out. His back and neck popped as he stretched. Jack looked up hearing the door on the other side of the car open. Mac slowly excavated himself from the pile of pillows and blankets. Mac blinked at him holding onto the side of the car as he pulled his foot free from a clinging blanket.

"Where are we?" Mac mumbled.

"Almost there," Jack answered. Mac rubbed his eyes and took in the surroundings. All freeways looked the same, but the land seemed to fold gently into the horizon. Mac squinted looking at the gently rolling hills.

"Are we in Iowa?" Mac asked.

"No, we're in heaven." Jack laughed hanging up the gas nozzle. Mac stared at him blankly a long minute. Jack waited. Finally, Mac rolled his eyes and shook his head. He ducked back into the car and dug out his shoes. He slid his bare feet into them and followed Jack into the store. Mac made a beeline for the coffee drawing up a super jumbo sized dark roast.

"That'll float a horseshoe," Jack said with a raised eyebrow. Mac blinked at him and began to shake in packets of sugar and cream.

"God, I hope so." He muttered. Jack shook his head and filled a smaller cup. He stopped in front of the donut case. Mac went to walk past him inhaling the coffee like a drug. Jack stopped him with a hand on Mac's elbow. Mac turned and glared at him.

"What do you want to eat?" Mac went to open his mouth. "Mac, the operative word here is EAT," Mac mumbled under his breath and reluctantly pulled out a plain donut. Jack sighed picking out a cinnamon roll. Jack paid. Mac sat in the passenger's seat. The two men sat munching on their breakfasts sipping coffee. The dawn sky was aflame with pinks and purples. Jack glanced over at Mac when he saw the younger man wince.

"You ok, bud?" Mac nodded. He managed to down the entire donut, but Jack could see the younger man struggled on the last couple bites-a sign Mac's anxiety was returning. Mac took a long drink of coffee and sighed in contentment. He glanced at Jack.

"So why are we in Iowa?"

"Who'd ever think to look for us here?"

"Fair point. Is it a safe house or something?"

"Or something. My niece's grandmother-in-law's sister's husband fell and busted a hip. They own a little family farm not far from here, she's been hurting for money and can't stay at the farm because of the commute to Des Moines."

"So we're time-sharing it?" Mac guessed. Jack nodded and raised his coffee swallowing his mouthful.

"Yeah, win-win." Mac frowned and his shoulders slumped. "You don't like it out here?"

"I haven't seen much of it."

"But?"

"I like cities, people, things to…"

"Keep that busy brain of yours occupied." Jack finished. Mac nodded.

"Well, I did bring a Chromebook. Riley scrubbed it and gave me one of those fancy antenna thingies."

"Portable hotspot router?"

"Whatever, so you can always cruise the net."

"Wonderful," Mac grumbled.

"And on a farm, they gotta have tractors or something, right? Maybe you can hook them up with another monster; I heard once racing lawn mowers was a thing." Mac raised an eyebrow.

"Seriously?"

"I guess so. The air sure is nice out here though."

"Other than the nitrates and fertilizer." Jack leaned over doing up his seat belt. He frowned at Mac.

"Well aren't you a glass-half-empty guy today?" Mac shrugged.

"Haven't finished my coffee yet." Jack laughed and shook his head. Mac did up his seat belt, and they drove back the way they came. Jack followed the GPS. Once they were off the exit, it felt like they stepped onto another planet. Corn, at least 6 or 7 feet tall grew on the other side of the drainage ditches running along every road. Mac kept glancing at the corn uneasy.

"Kinda had the whole Children of the Corn feeling doesn't it."

"And it's only dawn," Mac said in uncharacteristic agreement. Jack chuckled and flipped on the radio. Jack cussed. The windshield was constantly splattered by bugs. Two more turns and they were on a one lane dirt road. Jack cursed as his baby was immediately coated with tan dust. Mac coughed and closed the window.

"Damn, son. This is worse than Kabul." Jack growled fighting to hold onto the steering wheel. Mac braced himself with one hand on the dash.

"No kidding." There was a dip and bump then they were on tar again. At the top of the hill, Jack slowed.

"Well, this is it." Jack turned into the long gravel drive and parked behind the house. The house was a two story American Colonial painted gray with red trim. Behind the house was a barn twice as big painted in the same colors. The doors were open and both men could see that instead of animals there was a row of tractors. A shining grain silo was across from that and attached to a large shed with two tanks along side it. Mac sighed and got out of the car waving at the dust which was slowly clearing. Two shapes darted out of the barn letting out a double chorus of barking, tails windmilling as they circled the car pausing to sniff the two men. Mac smiled as a lanky brown curly-haired dog energetically greeted him. Mac thought it might be an airedale; Jack was greeted by a younger little shepherd with one ear that stood up and one that flopped down. Jack petted the dog surprised as it immediately dropped to the ground legs up and belly up. Jack crouched and obliged.

"Some watch dogs." Jack laughed as the other dog came around and licked his face, jealous.

"Oh, they're hams." Another voice said. Jack stood up, and Mac crossed around the car to them. The man was tall and broad. Even with a bulbous middle, he still looked like a mountain of muscle. He had a Santa Claus face and wore a well-worn Vietnam Vet cap. The man wiped the grease off his hand and offered it. He had a hard calloused grip. "I'm Hank Meyer, the shep is Fidget, and the curly cue is Elmer." Jack grinned.

"I'm Jack Dalton; this is Angus MacGyver." The man's blue eyes sparkled with amusement. Mac's mouth quirked into a smile, and he shrugged.

"Call me Mac." He said. The man nodded. He reached into his bibs and pulled out a key chain thick with keys. 

"My wife, Lizbeth, and I live north up the road five miles or so. We've been helping out Stella as we could, but with harvesting around the corner…" Jack took the keys with a nod. "We've been keeping the boys with us, but since you're here now. You don't mind?" Jack glanced at Mac as the blond was bending down nose to nose with Fidget talking in the baby talk humans reserved for animals and kids. Fidget licked Mac on the nose.

"No, I think we're good."

"Ok, let me show you around."


	8. Chapter 8

Mac was at a loss. He helped Jack bring in everything from the car. Jack tiredly trudged up the creaking stairs to sleep. Mac followed him. Jack took the first bedroom he came to, kicking off his shoes and plopping on the covers out cold. Mac sighed and went to the room next door. In the center was a full size four poster bed that stood as high as his waist. A quilt with an intricate star pattern in rainbow colors covered the bed. Mac lifted it and smiled. It had been hand stitched. Mac's grandmother had sewn several in her 'sewing' phase. Mac still had a blue one she'd made for him while he was overseas.

Mac dropped his go bag on the bed. Beside the bed was a long dresser made from the same dark cherry wood. He found himself looking at his reflection in a warped and peeling antique mirror. Mac looked away. Pictures in frames dotted the surface of the dresser as did two green glass vases of wild dried flowers. Older photos in antique frames dotted the pale turquoise walls. Mac leaned in to look at a soft black and white photo of a couple. Mac smiled. The man wore a sailor's uniform from WWII; he held a lovely dark-haired woman in both hands. She sported a nurse's uniform from the same era. Neither could have been more than their late teens. Mac wondered if his parents had pictures like that or his grandparents. He had never seen any. Mac felt a pain in his chest that had nothing to do with his healing sternum. He pivoted and left the room.

Mac paused at the doorway of Jack's room. He felt a need to talk to his friend but didn't understand why. He peeked into the door and grinned. Elmer slept on his side facing the door, Jack slept on his side his arm draped over the dog, and Fidget slept behind Jack with a paw on Jack's side. The dogs looked up at him but didn't move their tails tapping the bed. Mac wished he had his camera so he could take a picture. He sighed and climbed back down the stairs.

Mac stood in the middle of the kitchen. Considering how old the house and other furnishings were, he was surprised to see how modern the kitchen was. It could have been a display model at a high-end furniture store. Mac stared at the refrigerator. Hank had stocked the fridge with food sent from Lizbeth. Mac decided he wasn't hungry and went back outside. Mac was restless. He thought about going for a run. The expansive robin's egg blue sky made him feel vulnerable, exposed. Mac's shoulder muscles twitched, and he turned studying his environment all around him. He could almost feel eyes trapping him, stripping him naked. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to still his too busy imagination. His brain wouldn't calm. Mac had to move, couldn't stay in one place. He was a target. Mac decided to explore.

Behind the barn was a hill covered with a lush green lawn. The air had an earthy straw smell. As he crested the hill, Mac's breath caught. A large garden covered a good portion of the lee of the hill. Beyond that was a windbreak of poplar trees. A small grove of tall birch trees sprung up past the grain silo. Their trunks were gray with stripes of white and brown lines. Their leaves blew in a breeze Mac couldn't feel. Mac watched as the small branches at the top swayed, and the leaves seemed to flash silver. Below, in the midst of the copse, a long metal bench swing swayed. Mac could make out the gossip of several different birds.

At the bottom of the hill was a metal fence with a worn grassy road exiting into what looked like miles of tall green rows of tall leafy plants. The ears of corn hung swollen in their husks. He remembered Hank had said it was almost harvest time. Mac tried to imagine the size of the machinery needed to pluck the miles of corn and shook his head in wonder. He had never realized how much work went into the foods he took for granted at the grocery store. Mac sighed. He walked over to the barn and went in a side door. He scanned the tractors. They were older models John Deer and looked to be in different stages of being restored. Mac guessed it was a hobby more than need. Mac considered working on the tractors, but he felt like it'd be an intrusion into something private. Mac turned to leave the barn instead. He stopped at the door. Hanging on the wall were garden implements.

Mac looked out at the vista before him. Typically nature relaxed him. He felt exposed. Mac found himself almost vibrating as he stood watching the garden. Mac could see spots of red where ripe tomatoes hung neglected. The garden was a mass of weeds. Mac's heart pounded. He reached over and grabbed a trowel. Mac wasn't sure why, but he had to fix it, had to rescue the good plants from the bad. Mac reached the edge of the garden. It was overwhelming and chaotic. Mac growled and knelt. He viciously grabbed the green weeds and yanked their roots out of the fertile black soil as if they were animals and he was snapping their necks. He stabbed the dirt hard and savagely attacked the invaders. Mac wasn't aware of the tears that ran down his face or the lightening bolts of pain that crossed his chest with every move. He didn't feel his skin redden and blister with sun burn, or his muscles scream in protest as time passed. Mac stabbed and dug and pulled with a mixture of rage and desperation.

Jack opened his eyes and blinked. He looked into the moist pink nose of Fidget. The dog whined and looked at the door. Jack sat up. He saw Elmer sitting staring at him from the doorway. Jack petted Fidget.

"He made you do the dirty work of waking the human, huh?" Jack rubbed his face and frowned. He stood up and almost got knocked over as Fidget spun and his thick tail windmilled in the air. Jack yawned and glanced at his watch. He blinked then smiled. He'd gotten a good six hours of uninterrupted deep sleep. Jack followed the dogs and paused at the door of Mac's room. Jack wasn't surprised to see the bed undisturbed. Jack descended the stairs and frowned. Mac wasn't in the kitchen, living room or dining room. The bathroom upstairs and downstairs was both empty. Jack crossed to the door and opened it. Again he was almost bowled over as the two dogs dashed out. Jack took a step and winced at the warm concrete. He'd forgotten his boots. Jack shook his head and decided he didn't want to trudge back upstairs to get him. He regretted the decision about half way across the sandy drive.

"Mac?" Jack called. His heart dropped when he couldn't see any sign of the blond. Mac may have gone for a run, he reassured himself, but something about the still afternoon air screamed wrongness. Jack felt the hairs on his neck stand up on end and his heart begin to quicken. "MAC?" No answer. Jack made his way up to the top of the hill. He let out a deep breath as he saw a grimy Mac working in the garden. He'd already weeded more than half. Jack took a second to appreciate the beauty around him before he strolled to the garden.

"Hey, Mac. Looking good." Jack called. Jack frowned when Mac gave no indication he'd heard. Jack's unease increased as he stepped close. Mac wasn't weeding; he was attacking the earth itself. Jack's unease bloomed into worry as he drew up to the kid. Mac didn't notice his presence. Mac's skin was deep red and blistering, his audible breathing gasps sawing in and out as if he'd sprinted through a marathon. Mac's T-shirt clung to him wet, and his hair hung as if he'd just taken a shower. "Mac?" Jack said stepping to his partner's side. Jack's eyes widened when he noticed that the wooden handle of the trowel was red, stained with blood. Jack reached out and shook Mac's shoulder.

Mac stood and whirled. Only Jack's combat fast reflexes saved him from being gutted by the trowel. Mac lashed out with his left fist. Jack blocked and took a step back. Mac growled and attacked with a flurry of punches and stabbed with the spade. Jack parried or dodged most of them. When a roundhouse knocked him flat, he realized that Mac was fighting full out.

"This is not good," Jack muttered. Mac's eyes were wide with anger and fear, his mouth a grim straight line. His lips were pulled back making Mac look like an animal snarling. There was no recognition in his eyes. "MAC! MAC!" Jack yelled. Jack dug his bare feet into the loosened soil, waited until Mac was pulling the trowel back for another stab, then blocked an uppercut and stepped in close. Jack wrapped his arm around Mac's waist then swept the younger man's legs with his right foot. Mac fell backward. Jack slowed his fall. Mac kicked at Jack's face and stomach. Jack stepped back. Mac sprang to his feet. "MAC! DUDE, IT'S JACK!" Mac paused in midstep. Jack held out his hands not sure if the blond was catching his breath, beginning to come back, or about to collapse from exhaustion. "Mac, it's ok, bud. You're ok." Mac looked at Jack blankly. He dropped the trowel. Jack smiled.

"Are you back with me?" Jack asked softly. Mac's face screwed up in pain. His chest jerked forward. Jack thought the kid was going to puke. Instead, Mac put his hands to his ears and screamed. It was an awful heart crushing sound. Jack stood frozen, blinking a few times in shock, his heart pounding, Mac slumped to his knees leaning forward head almost in the dirt, rocking as if he were holding a bleeding, abdominal wound. Jack knelt in front of Mac. The scream reminded Jack of the tortured dying goat. Jack reached over and wrapped Mac in his arms. Mac shook and heaved as he sucked in air between wails. Jack curled the kid in closer. Mac grabbed Jack tightly his hands twisting in the older man's black T-shirt. Mac quieted to gut crunching sobs. Jack held on and gently rubbed his partner's back murmuring meaningless comforting words.

Jack wasn't sure what had set this melt down off, but it had been a long time coming. About fifteen minutes later, Mac sucked in shaky breaths and quieted. Jack felt him weakly pull away. Jack leaned back keeping his hands on Mac's shoulder. Mac sniffed and wiped his face with the back of his hand. It did little more than smear dirt across both cheeks.

"Better?" Jack said softly. Mac slumped back, his shoulders sinking. He stared at the dirt. His breathing was stilted. "Mac? Hey." Jack shook Mac's shoulders. Mac looked up. Jack frowned. His pupils were pinpricks in moon blue pools of despair. "You back?" Mac nodded and lifted his right hand. He winced and rubbed at the dirt on his palm. Jack slowly let go, waiting to make sure Mac wasn't going to fall over. Jack took Mac's hand and frowned. Mac's palm and fingers were bleeding, the skin blistered and torn "How long have you been out here?" Mac shrugged. Jack nodded. "Did you eat or drink anything?" Mac shook his head.

Jack let go of Mac's hand and put his hand to Mac's forehead. It was hot and dry. Jack gently lifted Mac's face, so the younger man looked at him. Jack had never had blisters on top of severe bruises, but he imagined it couldn't feel good. Jack didn't think Mac was feeling it yet. His eyes seemed to skitter off center.

"Mac?" Mac's eyes flicked toward Jack but remained unfocused. "C'mon let's get you inside." Mac nodded. Jack let go of Mac's head in time to catch the kid as he swayed forward. Jack stood up and pulled Mac up after him. With a grunt, Jack grabbed Mac behind the shoulders with his right hand and lifted his knees with left. Bending his knee, Jack snugged Mac closer. Mac's head leaned against Jack's shoulder. "Well, I hope you enjoyed your cathartic moment." Jack groused wincing as stones in the driveway stabbed his bare feet.

"Cathartic?" Mac whispered. Jack let out a breath, glad to have the kid talking.

"Yeah, you aren't the only one who knows stuff you know." Mac gave a weak snort.

"Oprah?"

"No, Fred." Mac looked up at Jack's chin.

"Really?"

"Yep, why do you think I suggested her? She's good." Jack grunted as he turned sideways to get through the door, he paused as the two dogs came bounding up behind them. After the dogs were in, Jack closed the door with his foot. He eyed the narrow staircase and decided he'd use the bathroom downstairs. The bathroom was large and had a deep tub that sat on four clawed legs. Jack set Mac down on the tile the kid's back against the tiled wall. The bathroom had aqua green tiles half way up the wall then a light blue wallpaper with fish. Jack thought it was relaxing. Jack found a plug and corked the drain. He turned the spigot on keeping the water luke warm. He found some natural lavender salts from the dead sea. He dumped in an entire packet. Jack heard a loud sniff behind him. Jack looked down at Mac who was trying to hold back tears. Jack crouched and put a hand on the kid's shoulder. Mac kept his eyes averted. He wiped his face, smearing more dirt on his face. Jack smiled.

"I have to get you some clothes, are you going to be ok." Mac glanced up at him.

"I'm sorry," Mac said weakly looking down at his hands which sat limply in his lap. Jack sighed.

"Now you are stupid." Mac looked at him surprised and a little hurt. Jack leaned down to meet Mac's eyes. "I am proud of you." Mac snorted and wiped his face again. Jack captured his hand. "Stop that; you're just making yourself dirtier. Seriously, bud. I am proud of you."

"For my...cathartic moment?" Mac said bitterly.

"Yes, and for not kicking my ass." Mac looked down ashamed. Jack laughed.

"Sometime I'll tell you about my cathartic moment. Let's just say it involved a lot of beer and an alley fight with an eighty-year-old former golden gloves champion who kicked my ass, dragged me home and listened to me bawl for quite a few hours." Mac weakly laughed. Mac met Jack's gaze and put a hand on Jack's shoulder. Jack could see another wave of tears building in Mac's eyes.

"Thank you, Jack," Mac said. Jack nodded. He mussled Mac's hair. Mac glared at him and slapped his hands away. Jack turned the water off then bent and helped Mac out of his shirt and sweats. Mac wobbled as he stepped into the bath. When he sat down the water came up to his chest. Mac hissed then slowly leaned back and relaxed back closing his eyes. Jack waited to make sure the kid wasn't going to slip into the water then went upstairs to get Mac a change of clothes. He reassured the dogs who sat watching the whole thing from the door way. Jack smiled as the two dogs went into the bathroom to check on Mac as Jack climbed the stairs.

After getting the clothes, Jack stopped by his room to get the medical kit he took with him everywhere. Jack opened doors until he found a linen closet full of the major fluffy towels. Jack grabbed a couple, and a stack of wash cloths then returned downstairs. Mac laid with his knees bent enough only his neck and head were above water. Mac's face leaned to the side. Jack knelt beside the tub.

"Hey, kiddo." Mac hummed and slowly turned to face him. "Let's get your hair clean." Mac sighed and straightened with a moan so he could lean forward. Jack found a clean bucket and scooped some of the dirty water over Mac's head. Mac blew out and hunched forward holding his knees with his arms. Jack winced when he saw the fat blisters on the kid's shoulders. A half empty bottle of lavender shampoo sat in a basket on the sink. Jack worked it into Mac's hair. Mac sighed, and Jack could feel his muscles relax.

"So what set off your gardening fit?" Jack asked conversationally. Mac shrugged. "Eyes closed," Jack said as he rinsed Mac's hair several times. Mac pushed the wet hair away from his face. Jack was relieved to see his face was clean of dirt. He hadn't liked the idea of trying to clean around the blisters and bruises. "Ok, let's go." Jack pulled the plug and bent down. Mac reached up and put his arm around Jack's shoulders. Jack lifted, and Mac staggered to his feet. He managed to step out of the tub before his knees melted. Jack managed to wrap him in a towel and aim him for the toilet. Mac sat shivering as Jack dried his hair then legs and feet. Jack helped Mac into his sweats and T-shirt then walked him to the living room.

They both paused surprised to see a 50 inch TV on one wall. The couches looked soft and thick with cushioning.

"Chair or sofa?" Jack asked. Mac waved at the recliner. Jack helped him sit then pulled the lever. Mac closed his eyes and groaned as his legs lifted. Jack handed Mac the remote from the coffee table. "I'll be back in a minute." Mac hummed clicking on the TV. Jack went back to the linen room and found a pair of pillows and a soft, thick blanket. He handed Mac a pillow. The blond put it over his right shoulder then leaned against it. Jack glanced at the TV. Mac had found a football game.

"They have seven ESPN channels," Mac said. Jack laughed. Jack crouched beside the chair, cleaned and wrapped Mac's hand.

"My niece told me sports were a universal religion out here." Jack made them thick roast beef sandwiches with chips and grabbed a pair of beers. He expected Mac to pick at his lunch. Jack chuckled when the kid attacked it with the same vigor as he had the weeds in the garden. They sat watching the game and sipping beer in relaxed companionship. Jack found himself falling asleep. He glanced over and smiled. Mac was already snoring with a contented smile on his lips.


	9. Chapter 9

A slap refocused Mac. Mac looked up and moaned. It was one of the twins. Mac again pulled at the bindings holding his wrists and ankles. Mac leaned back as the rough rope dug into his already red and raw flesh. His chest had a sticky patina of blood that continuously from cuts over the swollen black bruises. The thick stink of his burned flesh made Mac gag. After the cattle prods, the twins had left Mac alone with the blond boy. The child giggled in delight as he lit iron until it glowed then ran it along with Mac's torso. The child had fallen asleep. He looked all of 10 years old and being such a well-developed sociopathic for his age probably made him sleepy. Everything was gray and fuzzy. Mac gagged and whimpered as he tried to take in a deep breath. His chest crackled like broken glass with every breath. He felt one of the twins untie his left arm. Mac could only watch, too weak to move, as the man plunged a thick needle of blue liquid into his flesh. Ice flowed through Mac's veins, then fire. Mac's eyes opened wide, and he puffed in air as a feeling of panic suffocated him. The thunder of his running pulse beat through his skull. Mac's muscles began to twitch. One of the twins stood over Mac watching with a bored detachment. The twin stretched his arms and back and wiped sweat and blood from his forehead. He looked up as his brother came in and handed him a glass of water. Mac automatically licked his swollen lips. Mac closed his eyes as everything began to spin.

"Is he ready? The boss is here."

"Yeah, just gave him the juice."

"Man it's hot in here, I'll be glad to get out of here."

"No kidding." The voices seemed to come from a cloud floating above Mac; their meaning lost in nausea and pain.

"Wakey, wakey. An old friend's here to see you." A thundercrack of pain accompanied a solid slap across Mac's face. He opened his eyes surprised. He didn't remember closing them. The twin's face hovering above him was blurry. Mac moaned. His head rolled to the side, and he numbly watched the other twin untie his right arm. Mac's eyes floated closed as he began to shake. Blood spattered walls spun around him as they dragged him across the wooden table. Splinters chewed into his back, a small ache lost in a tsunami of misery. Mac next found himself sitting in a dentist's chair. He blinked and shook his head trying to focus. Mac's thoughts stuttered incoherently. He couldn't remember what had just happened. Where was he?

"Hello, dear boy, it's been a long time." Mac blinked and squinted, but the man's face wouldn't come into focus. Mac tried to say something, but his tongue felt like a sock shoved down his throat. He felt a hand stroke the side of his face. Mac turned his head away. Somehow this gentle touch burned more than the burning crowbar. Mac's sweat and blood soaked hair were gently pushed away from his forehead. "Oh, I've missed you." The voice was high pitched and sibilant. Mac felt his gut squeeze. He knew the voice; it was the voice that had haunted his worst nightmares waking or sleeping. Mac didn't know why. He was sure he'd never met this man, but he had known this man his entire life. Mac began to gag. He felt a coarse cloth on his face.

"Shhh, dear boy. Breathe easy, this will be over soon, then I get to take you home, and we'll finish what we started…" Mac could hear the man lick his lips. Mac weakly pulled at his hands. They were in tight metal clamps. His feet were free. Mac tried to kick the man, but his leg muscles only twitched. The man giggled. Mac's heart pounded even faster until it started cramping. Mac began to hyperventilate and shook harder. He opened his eyes. The man's blurry face leaned in closer his breath smelled like burned meat. Mac felt a hand move across his chest tracing a pattern through Mac's blood as he studied every burn, bruise and knife wound. Mac's skin twitched trying to escape the violation. The man let out a sigh.

"So beautiful, and your screams...oh, dear boy." Mac felt the hand slide down his leg to his feet. Mac again tried to kick, but his body no longer followed his commands. The man lifted his left foot and slid off Mac's shoe, then his sock. He did it slow then caressed Mac's naked flesh. He set Mac's foot down as if it were a prized possession, then did the same with his right foot. Mac felt the chair rock. He blinked until he saw metal stirrup clamps attached to the bottom of the seat. The man lifted Mac's left leg and closed a clamp around his calf. He then did the same with Mac's right leg. Having his bare feet hanging in the air made Mac feel more vulnerable than any of the tortures he'd ever felt. The man stepped away. Mac leaned his head back. He could feel his pulse pound across his head and neck. Cold sweat pooled at the base of his spine.

"Nnnhn…"Mac tried to beg.

"Shhhh, darling boy, you'll ruin the surprise." Mac tried to make his mouth form words, but nothing would answer his brain's commands. Mac heard a dragging sound, then SNAP. Mac's back arched as he yelled. Burning agony tore across the bottom of his foot. Mac felt flesh shred as razor blades, and sharp glass edges lashed his soles. Thick gobs of blood sprayed the room, splattering across the ceiling with the man's upswing. Mac panted for air.

"No...please…" He managed to plead. SNAP. Mac screamed. He had no words to describe the pain. It was an ax slicing, a firebrand torching nerves that shook his entire body. Pulsing agony crackled along all of his bones. "Please…" Mac moaned through tears. SNAP. Mac screamed again…

Mac jerked awake breathing hard. It took a minute for his brain to process where he was. He sank back on the recliner and wiped his sweaty face. Mac hurt everywhere, mostly sunburn and at least a thousand pulled muscles. Mac didn't mind. It kept him grounded; it was bearable not like then. Mac took a shuddering breath and glanced over at the couch. Jack slept soundly on his belly his right arm and leg dangled on the floor. Jack's face was scrunched up and drool hung from the corner of his mouth. Mac smiled and was going to go back to sleep when something touched his foot. SNAP. Mac jerked his foot back, his breath catching. He looked down to see Elmer again go to lick the bottom of Mac's foot. Mac let out a deep breath and felt his muscles unclench. Grunting with pain, he leaned over and lowered his legs. Elmer squirmed beside Fidget who looked up at him expectantly, their tails whooshing circles in the air. Mac smiled and stiffly climbed to his feet.

The dogs brushed past him in a flurry of fur, tail, and toenails. Mac opened the back door; the pair blurred into the night. Mac stepped outside and shut the door behind him. Jack had left a lamp on in the living room and the pale light through the windows of the door. Although weak, it was reassuring against the darkness around Mac. Mac sat down on the cement steps and took several breaths. The air was heavy and smelled like pollen. He winced as pain crossed his chest. Cicadas and crickets buzzed, and from farther away frogs belched creating a wall of sound that was physical and wrapped around Mac like a body bag. Mac closed his eyes. It was cooler than he expected. It could be his sunburn or the sheen of sweat that made him tremble, but the bone chill that haunted him had nothing to do with either.

Mac absently picked at the gauze wrapping his right hand, and his eyes constantly roved raking every inch of the dark. He felt eyes watching him, danger loomed from every shadow, and menace lurked behind every hint of movement. Mac's heart pounded, and he felt short of breath. Hundreds of invisible soldiers could be hiding just past the dim light, waiting... Mac shook the morbid feeling away. He was ok; Jack was ok, everything was ok. Mac chuckled at the mantra his partner often whispered in his ear when Mac was lost in one of his frequent melt downs. At least they felt frequent, Mac's eyes flushed with tears. Mac blinked them back and looked up at the sky.

The moon was a thumbnail hanging low in the sky. The stars above didn't feel as close as they did up in the mountains. They spread out like a carpet with gleaming studs. Mac found the big and little dippers then Orion. Mac smiled. As he gazed up at the stars outlining the stick figure of the hero, Mac always thought that he saw Jack instead of an ancient Greek.

Mac yawned. He'd lost his watch somewhere. He suspected Jack had probably removed it at some point, so Mac had no idea what time it was. His brain told him it was after midnight, but that wasn't allowing for the change in time zones. Mac jumped as he heard growling and two shadows came darting from the night. His heart hammered even though he knew it was just the two dogs. He looked down into their kind eyes. 

"Are you fellas done?" He asked. Elmer and Fidget answered him by climbing the stairs and mauling him with kisses and thumping tails. Mac laughed. "Alright, alright." He said softly. He opened the door and held onto the frame as the two dogs sped past him. Mac shut the door softly and ran a hand through his hair. He wondered what to do now he was awake. The idea of sleeping made his stomach churn. Mac climbed the stairs wincing as every creak seemed like the crack of a rifle in the quiet house. He snapped on the light and went digging through Jack's things until he found the laptop, router, and a burner phone. Mac nodded. No matter how dark an agent went, it was SOP to keep some form of communication. Mac slid the phone back into Jack's pack and left turning off the light on his way out the door. Mac blindly made his way to his room, turned on the light then set up the laptop on the dresser.

Immediately a series of emails from Matty and Riley popped up. Mac read Matty's first. He was amused when it was tagged 'Jack ONLY.' Did she think that would stop him from reading it? Maybe she thought Jack would get into the computer first. Mac chortled. He was sure Riley went over it a hundred times, but Jack would still have no clue how to set it up. Mac had an image of Jack as Baby Groot always reaching for the wrong button on the bomb. Mac frowned. Did that make him the frustrated Rocket Racoon? Mac shook his head. His brain got weird at night.

All humor fled as Mac read Matty's note. His heart pounded loud in his ears as she explained the surveillance on him his entire life. Mac closed his eyes and leaned forward as he suddenly felt lightheaded. How? Why? Who? Mac froze remembering the clown hidden, watching his mother holding him in the park. The pit fell out of his stomach. Was that why he always felt the clown lurking, watching, waiting unseen just too far out of the corner of his eye? Mac hugged himself as he forced his eyes back to the computer. The second email from Matty detailed the visit she'd had with Valencia Pharee-Grace. Mac chewed on his lip. Who was she? She obviously had connections to Corydon, but who was he or they? What did they want with Mac? 

Mac growled, his stomach swirling with frustration. He clicked on the first email with Riley. Mac's chest constricted as he clicked on the video file of the murder room, then the array of photos all with his face or eyes scratched out. When he saw the wooden mallet covered in blood, the broken body of the kid and the blue bassinet, Mac was up and moving before he realized it. Screams rattled through his head as he slid to his knees and puked into the toilet. Mac began to shake as he dry-heaved until exhaustion left him spent, empty. Mac flopped to the floor and closed his eyes. Everything spun around him, he heaved in air, but his body screamed for more. Lightening flashes burned through his head, smashing it open with sharp talons of pain. Mac moaned bringing both hands to his head to keep it from exploding.

Mac began to heave again but didn't have the strength to drag himself up to the toilet. Luckily his stomach was empty. Mac leaned his head against the soothing tile and closed his eyes trying to ignore the dizzying whirl of the world. He rubbed his temples and groaned. An ice pick dug into the soft meat of his brain.

"Mac?" Mac jumped and cracked his head against the underside of the toilet. He flopped back his hand going to his forehead. Mac moaned then jackknifed as his stomach cramped again. "Mac, hey. What's going on?" Jack knelt beside him. Mac squinted at his friend and blinked against the dizziness. Mac went to push himself to sit. Jack leaned down and helped. Mac unrolled some toilet paper and wiped his mouth. He tossed it in the toilet and Jack flushed it. Mac sat with his back against the wall his knees bent and elbows resting on them. He felt like he could float through the walls and floor.

"Mac?" Jack asked crouching in front of him. Mac offered a wan imitation of a smile.

"I'm ok, Jack. Just…" Mac rubbed his face. He wasn't sure if the dampness was tears or sweat. Jack slid over and sat beside him.

"Just what?" Mac took a bracing breath and told Jack all of it including the memory of bastinado. Mac kept his eyes locked on his feet as if studying every one of the hundreds of scars lining his feet from where he'd had to have skin grafts. Jack didn't say anything but Mac could feel him vibrate with tension and anger. When he finished talking, they sat in silence for a long minute. Mac could tell Jack was trying to control the flood of rage burning his veins, and Mac was worn out, and threadbare Finally Jack huffed and slowly unclenched his fists and forced his body to relax.

"Sorry, bud," Jack whispered. Mac looked at him frowning.

"For what?"

"For not being there to stop it." Mac's eyes widened, and he grabbed Jack's forearm tight enough to leave marks.

"Jack, don't," Mac begged. Jack looked at him, tears glittering in his dark eyes.

"Mac, I should have…" Mac's heart broke. Without realizing it, he reached over and wrapped Jack into a tight hug. Jack buried his head in Mac's shoulder; Jack's back shuddered with his tears. Mac frowned not sure what to do. He leaned his chin on the spiky haired head of his friend and decided to keep holding on and hope for the best. Mac's eyes became harder to keep open. He shook his head. Jack pulled away. Mac blinked, but his partner's face stayed blurry. Mac could see Jack's lips move, but he was too tired to make out the words. Mac's eyes kept sliding closed. Mac felt Jack's familiar hands grab him under the arms and haul him upright. Mac's stomach again spasmed. Jack whirled the younger man and leaned him over the sink. Jack turned on the faucet as mucus and bile poured out. Mac closed his eyes, his head dropping, too heavy to hold up.

Jack ran some water to clean the sink and grabbed a washcloth to wash Mac's sweaty face. Mac absently batted at his hands.

"You gotta stop doing this," Mac mumbled. Jack laughed.

"I will if you will."

"Deal." Jack ducked under Mac's arm and half-carried him back to the kid's bedroom. Working around worried dogs, Jack pulled back the covers then helped Mac plop into bed. Mac yawned and slowly scooted himself up in bed rolling onto his side. Jack stood up to leave; he paused at the computer. He wanted to see what the team had sent him, but he wasn't sure if it was a good idea to do it there.

"Go ahead, Jack." Jack looked at his pale friend. Mac had tucked the pillow under his head. His eyes were opening slower.

"Are you sure?"

"Could use the company." Mac hummed sleepily. Jack nodded and sat down at the bureau. He began to read. Jack's anger rose in waves, and he almost wanted to run and vomit himself. He glanced over at Mac and smiled. Fidget had wormed his way against Mac, so the blond had wrapped his arm snugly around his middle. Fidget nuzzled Mac's face with her snout as her tail thumped quietly on the bed. Elmer, not to be left out, laid on the other side of Mac curled up behind the kid's knees. The dog's head rested on Mac's hip, and the dog studied Jack with a calm wisdom. Forget Fred; maybe a dog was all Mac needed-a dog and a garden, Jack thought ruefully. He turned back to the files Matty and Riley had sent and leaned forward in thought.

According to Matty, Valencia had hinted that Dewayne Stratson had turned psycho after being given the task of watching Mac. Jack didn't believe that. In his experience, once a psycho always a psycho. No regular agency would hire someone that unsteady especially for long term surveillance. Of course, Jack reminded himself, no rational agency would have surveillance on a person through their entire lives either. Jack looked over at Mac as the kid mumbled and tossed his head back and forth. Mac's arm tightened around Fidget and Mac dug his head into Fidgets short fur. Fidget gave a small whine and licked Mac on the chin. Mac smiled and stilled. Jack felt a protective anger. The idea of his partner being stalked made Jack's hands clench into fists and hunger for someone to let loose with until they were as beaten as that tortured baby goat. Jack's jaw clenched and his eyes closed as he thought about Mac as a child captured by this sadistic clown.

Jack's eyes watered. He pulled the lid down on the laptop and knelt beside the bed smiling. Asleep without nightmares, Mac looked all of sixteen. Jack fondly brushed the kid's hair back and laughed when Mac absently swatted at his hands. Jack settled on petting Fidget instead. His knees popped as he straightened. Jack petted Elmer to forestall the insistent envy shining in the dog's eyes. Elmer stood up and hopped silently off the bed he stepped out into the hall and waited tail wagging. Fidget sighed content to stay as he was. Jack shook his head, evidently divide and conquer wasn't just a human thing.

"Just old boys, huh?" Jack whispered. Elmer nudged Jack's hand with his nose. Jack turned off the light in the kid's room. Turning on the hall light, he left Mac's door open. Jack gathered some clothes and took a quick shower. He frowned at Elmer.

Jack wasn't tired but knew he needed rest. Elmer jumped up and stretched out back to back with Jack.

"What is their endgame? What do they want Mac for?" Feeling Elmer's tail beat his leg, Jack realized he'd spoken out loud. Jack let out a long breath. He'd done everything he could think of to put them far off the grid, but worry wormed its way into his heart. What if he couldn't keep Mac safe? Jack had almost lost his partner every time they'd gone up against had been an attempt to usurp the system, this Corydon was bigger, almost as if he or they were the system. Jack huffed and closed his eyes. Like many soldiers, he had the ability to fall asleep anywhere and anytime no matter the circumstances. Jack eased into rest knowing as he did so it would not be a deep sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

Mold spores gagged Mac. He slowly opened his eyes. His world was a world of blurred confusion and pain. He sat on an old couch that was familiar. Mac felt panic spark across his skull, followed by agony.

"Ah, awake again, right." The voice was warped and fuzzy. Mac followed it to a man sitting in a wooden chair gazing at him. Mac could make out a high-quality suit. The face blurred and undulated stubbornly staying out of focus. "Don't worry, Angus. Your time with us is over, no matter how much our mutual friends would like to have you for his own. I'm sure you'll get together again, soon." The man leaned back and crossed his legs. Mac could smell cigarette smoke.

"I'm sorry about the twins; they do get enthusiastic. And that boy, one of our early success stories, a little too successful." The man sighed. "Anyway, thank you for all the help you've given us." The man leaned forward. Mac tried to speak, but his tongue felt too big for his mouth. "You are a fascinating man, Angus. I saw how special you were...a long time ago. I have invested a lot of resources on you." The man sighed and cocked his head studying Mac for a long minute. "We'll see if it's worth it." The man threw his cigarette on the damp floor and crushed it with his heels.

"Don't worry; you won't remember this. Every time you try...well, you won't like what happens. The last few we tried the Blue on ended up...shall we say a bit broken?" The man leaned over Mac. Mac could smell old tobacco and some exotic fruit. Even though Mac could feel the man's hot breath on his cheeks, he couldn't see the man's face. It was as if it slid out of view every time he focused on it. "You have a magnificent brain, the information you gave me today will keep our R and D department busy for months. I would hate to see you lose it. Goodby, Angus. I'll be watching."

The screams jerked Mac awake. He clenched his eyes together and covered his ears. He could feel the blind child's panic pulse through him, the need to run, hide...He could feel the memory slipping away. Mac forced his eyes open and uncovered his ears. His body began to shake, his back arched and his head slammed down against the wall as flashes of colors and light blazed around his eyes and head. Mac couldn't breathe, but he held onto the man's words. His body began seizing. Mac bit his cheek and tongue but still forced everything down and clung to the need to keep the memory. The world seemed to float away, Mac's body flared into pain as every muscle twitched out of sync. Nerves were open electrical outlets. Mac screamed, silently. He tried to rasp in a breath, but his lung muscles did not answer his commands.

"No!" Mac stubbornly demanded in his head, "I am not going to give in." He forced himself to remember the house, the suit, the smells, the fuzzy voice until that's all that occupied his mind. The dying animal screamed louder. Mac's eyes rolled in the back of his head, and he puked, coughing as mucus and bile ran down the back of his throat. He ignored it all putting all of his focus on keeping the memory. Time had no meaning. He could feel everything going dark; Mac pushed back with everything he had. Then something snapped, and his body flopped against the bed, and everything went dark.

Jack bolted awake his hand on his gun. The dogs were at the door whining and restless. Was that woke him up? Jack took a deep breath and crossed to them rubbing his eyes. To his surprise, they didn't run for the back door but Mac's room. Jack heard the sound of choking and thumps of a body in the throes of something violent. Jack sprinted into Mac's room and drew up surprised. Mac was having a seizure vomit dribbled out of his mouth.

"No, no, no…" Jack muttered as he ran forward terror nibbling at his heart. He tried to set Mac up, but the kid's stiff muscles locked him into place. Jack log rolled him on his side. Mac's breathing became slightly better as the mucus and bile ran from his mouth. Jack was at a loss for what he could do to help. Time had no meaning. Every shake was a tremor of fear in Jack's gut.

"C'mon, brother. Hang on, hang on…" Jack didn't even realize he was speaking. Then Mac's eyes snapped open, his head jerked back hard, and he went limp. Jack's fingers shook as he reached out for a pulse. For a long minute he felt nothing, then finally a sluggish reluctant heart beat, long pause, another beat...Jack kept his finger on Mac's neck silently willing the pulse to keep going, get better. Slowly it did. Jack sank back as Mac's pulse finally grew regular and stronger. He lifted Mac up and hugged him tears running down his face. "Never do that again, never…" Jack sighed.

"Ghnng…" Mac voiced. Jack grinned and leaned back. Mac's head flopped back, but his eyes were blue slits. Jack held Mac's face.

"Hey, bud, you with me." Mac closed his eyes.

"Hnngh," Mac mumbled.

"Close enough," Jack said. He made a pile of pillows and leaned Mac back on them. Mac's eyes slowly opened half way. Jack leaned close but saw no signs of recognition. "I thought we agreed you'd stop doing this shit."

"Jaaaynk?"

"Yeah, kiddo it's me." Jack let out a deep breath. He took off his T-shirt and wiped Mac's mouth. Mac slowly blinked then managed to push his eyes a little farther open. Slowly they wobbled to Jack's face. Jack's eyes widened when Mac gave a weak smile.

"Ymmbr." Jack frowned trying to decipher the slur.

"You remember?" Mac tilted his chin. "Ok, bud, let's put a pin in that for a minute ok?"

"Onnnyk." Jack took that as a yes. Jack put his hand against Mac's forehead; the kid was clammy. His eyes closed.

"C'mon, bud, open those baby blues."

"Gnnnwsssay." Mac's tone was annoyed.

"No, I'm not going away." Mac moaned in pain. His eyes opened a crack and looked at Jack pleading. Jack gently ran his hands along Mac"s body. The younger man's muscles were spasming. Jack thought a minute. Obviously, the kid wouldn't be able to take any pills, and Jack hadn't thought about bringing a shot. No, Jack admitted to himself, the idea of giving a shot made him want to puke. "I'll be right back, don't you go anywhere."

"Kny." Mac's eyes closed and his head tilted to the side. Jack pushed Mac's hair away from his face. Jack had an impulse to kiss the kid on his forehead. Jack stood up and wrinkled his nose, maybe after he got them both cleaned up. Jack lifted Mac up and headed for the bathroom. He stripped Mac naked and himself to his boxers. He turned the heat on as hot as he could stand it then lifted Mac into the tub. The tub was as big and deep as downstairs but built in with a glass door and shower. Jack sat Mac in the middle of the tub his knees bent then sat behind the kid letting Mac lean against him. Jack gently washed Mac clean with lavender soap and shampoo. Evidently, Stella loved lavender.

When the water started to run cool, Jack turned it off and stepped out. He leaned Mac against the steaming back of the tub and closed the door to keep in the heat. Jack went to Mac's room and changed the sheets. Mac was out of clean sweats, so Jack grabbed a pair of boxers and T-shirt. He stopped to get himself a dry pair and paused to reassure the worried dogs.

"It's ok, guys, the kid's ok…" Jack knew he actually said it to reassure himself, but the dogs seemed to relax too. Jack grabbed a couple more towels and some new blankets. He'd have to figure out laundry after he got Mac settled. Jack dried Mac off wincing at Mac's popped blisters. The red burn on his arms was turning to tan. His face had some purple shadows but had mostly turned yellow, and even that was fading. Jack carried Mac to bed and lay him on his side in case he was sick again. Jack hoped not, Mac's face was too angular and Jack could see his ribs and collar bones too quickly. Jack bundled Mac under a pile of blankets gathered the dirty laundry.

Jack didn't have a problem with spiders, although they did creep him out. They moved entirely too fast, and he'd been bitten by some fairly nasty ones in the jungles he'd fought. The spiders in the basement, however, was enough to give Indiana Jones pause. The basement was musty and lined with dusty shelves full of preserves and home-canned foods. The washing machine was industrial grade and large enough to take all the laundry they'd made. There was no dryer. When Jack leaned closer to figure out the controls, the wall behind the washer moved. Jack let out a girly shriek he was glad no one heard. He shook his head, set the controls then booked it out of there. Nope, he could never live on a farm.

Jack got dressed and let the dogs out. He went up and checked on Mac. The kid hadn't moved and snorted a little. Jack brushed blond hair back and bent kissing the kid on his hair. Mac groaned irritably but didn't wake up. Jack grinned and sat in front of the computer he updated everyone, asking suggestions from Medical. Jack was pleased when he got it sent on the first try. Jack went downstairs let the dogs in and lounged in the recliner aimlessly flipping channels. Fidget went up to lay in bed with Mac. Elmer plopped on the couch and dozed off. It was quiet and calm. Jack began to feel his stress seep away. Jack found himself watching Judge Judy. When it was over, he turned off the TV and fixed himself lunch. As he munched on his second sandwich, he looked out the window. The sky was a shining white, not obviously cloudy. The strangeness of a pretty day under a weird atmosphere made Jack uneasy. He felt the muscles in his shoulders twitch. Jack noticed a string of clotheslines out by the swing.

"Huh," Jack mumbled. He looked down at Elmer who was staring at Jack's sandwich. "Don't tell your brother," Jack said softly giving the last bite of his sandwich to the dog. Elmer paused looking at Jack as if he were the best superhero in the world then sat and ate with a surprising daintiness. Jack hauled the laundry out to the line. Clothes pins hung in a basket hanging off the poles holding up the ropes. Jack found putting up the laundry oddly relaxing. Both dogs wrestled each other in the thick green grass. The air was thick with moisture, and Jack found himself sweating. Only a steady cooling wind kept it from being unbearable. Jack sat on the swing and slowly rocked it. The birds chirped in the trees above him, and he studied the miles of corn spread before him. It reminded him of the ocean. The wind caused gentle waves, and the heavy leaves made a smooth surf sound. It was hypnotic and relaxing.

When Jack checked on Mac, the younger man was still snoring and hadn't moved a muscle. Jack sat at the computer and checked the email. He was glad to find a response from Medical. Jack felt a weight slide off his shoulders. As long as Mac didn't have another episode he'd be ok. The main thing was to get some nutrition into the kid. Bozer had included one of his super recipes for a thick stew. Jack nodded. The Meyers had been kind enough to bring a large basket of fresh veggies and meat. Bozer's instructions were detailed enough Jack thought he could manage it. He forwarded the recipe to his phone and shut down the computer. Jack frowned. Why hadn't Riley or Matty added anything? Jack made some toast and filled a glass of apple juice. He returned and shook Mac awake. Mac squinted up at him.

"Go'way." He growled. Jack smiled.

"You have to eat something, bud." Mac moaned and pushed himself, so he sat on the side of the bed. He was pale and rubbed his temples groaning in pain. Jack sat down beside him. Mac rubbed his eyes and blinked.

"You ok?" Jack asked. Mac quirked a smile for his friend. It looked like a grimace of pain.  
The blond yawned and rubbed his face.

"Got a bastard headache and feel like I ran a marathon without stretching. Other than that I'm good." Mac smiled a genuine smile. "Great actually."

"Oh?" Jack handed the toast to Mac. Mac took it absently and began to nibble on it.

"I remember almost everything." Mac's face grew serious. "I think I met Corydon." Jack's eyes widened.

"No way!" Mac nodded and winced rubbing his forehead. "Are you up to telling me?" Mac nodded taking another bite of toast. He closed his eyes and for a second Jack thought he was going to be sick. Mac took a sip of apple juice and took a deep breath. He told Jack everything he remembered. Jack scowled.

"And you can't remember what this dude looks like or what you told him?" Mac leaned forward rubbing his temples he shook his head. He'd managed to finish the toast and juice, but his headache had gotten worse. Jack automatically reached out and began to rub Mac's back. Neither man noticed, but both were comforted by it.

"What did Dr. Mendez call it, this thing they did?" Jack asked.

"A conditioned response. I think the chemicals they gave me 'the Blue' he called it made me susceptible to some kind of programming using…" Mac looked down sadly. "Reactions from a previous trauma…" A sudden ball of emotion strangled Mac's voice. Mac closed his eyes and leaned forward holding his head in his hands.

"You think you were this boy who got away?" Jack asked softly. Mac nodded and took in a shaky breath.

"I don't remember remember it, but I see flashes, feel things…" Mac's eyes grew distant. Jack swallowed for the millionth time wishing things could have been different, and he could have been there to stop all this shit from happening. Mac cleared his throat. "The weird thing is that there's no record of us living in Oregon."

"Maybe they made you forget that too?" Mac shook his head then winced holding his temple.

"No, I think they got rid of the evidence." Mac's voice grew softer, barely above a whisper. Jack frowned.

"Whatcha thinking, kid?" Mac looked at the ground and rubbed his hands thoughtfully.

"I don't believe the...the clown was hired and went crazy." Jack nodded, he didn't think so either. Mac looked at him. Jack almost turned away from the flames of icy pain. "How much of my life have they made?" Jack sat back gritting his teeth. He leaned forward waving a finger in Mac's face.

"No, now you listen to me, they may have manipulated things and believe me we're going to find that out and deal with them appropriately." Mac smiled at the protective violence in the older man's voice. "But they didn't create you. You are not some robot they made. You are you because of how you lived your life and who your family was, and is." Mac met Jack's steady gaze and nodded.

"You're right. It's just the idea of some powerful...cabal following me all those years…"

"Yeah, that would freak me out too."

"And the goat thing…" Mac sat up straight, "the goat thing!" Mac looked at Jack his eyes wide."That's how I got away."

"I'm not following, bud."

"Jack, why would this clown…" Mac trailed off.

"Asshat." Jack offered. Mac nodded with a smile.

"Why would this Asshat keep me alive?"

"They said you escaped."

"I don't think I did," Mac remembered snippets of being alone in the dark, naked with rats and shuddered. Jack rested a warm hand on Mac's shoulder. Mac shook his head and moaned rubbing his temples. He felt as if two railroad spikes were rammed through the sides of his skull. Mac cleared his throat. "I don't think I did. I think Asshat killed the goat instead of me because he had to."

"I'm still not following."

"I think this Corydon hired him or enticed him, to keep me alive so he could...lurk." Mac swallowed fighting to keep his food down. Jack wrapped an arm around Mac's shoulders pulling him closer. Mac allowed it for a long minute then pulled away. Jack grinned. That told him the real MacGyver was back in the house.

"So no word from Riley or Matty?" Mac asked worriedly. Jack nodded. They sat in silence for a long minute.

"You know the eerie quiet they say happens before a tornado?" Jack asked.

"I've heard about it. Never actually lived anywhere where there are seasons with tornadoes-that I know about anyway."

"I feel like we're sitting in the middle of that quiet," Jack said softly, the hairs on his arms twitching. Mac nodded, sighed and slapped Jack on the back.

"Me too." Jack didn't like the odd smile that crossed his friend's face. At his questioning look, Mac chuckled. "What? When have any of our vacations ended well?" Jack laughed and shook his head, glad to have Mac back.


	11. Chapter 11

Mac sat sideways absently kicking his leg out to keep the swing rocking. He frowned and yawned. He was tired, but for the first time, the bone numbing exhaustion that had plagued him since he'd been kidnapped was gone. He felt as if having most of the gaps in his memory had set him free. Mac leaned back listening to the birds. They were quieter in the afternoon, but still complemented the buzzing of the bugs. Mac didn't feel as exposed. He huffed and leaned his head into his palm. Jack was inside trying to cook up a stew. Mac chortled. Jack cooking? This should be good.

Mac wondered why Matty and Riley hadn't gotten in touch with them. Valencia apparently belonged to Corydon, how had she invaded Phoenix? Mac didn't think it was a mole situation. No, this came from the top echelons. Mac scowled. Valhalla had gone as high as the head of the DOJ. How high did this go? Mac rubbed his temples. He'd taken Tylenol, and that had taken the edge off, but his head still hurt like hell.

Mac thought about the chameleon armor. It had felt like metal when it touched him and hit him, Mac thought ruefully. He remembered the lit report he'd done with Bozer. Back then he'd imagined a complicated mesh of prisms. Mac narrowed his eyes. The armor probably was not metal but polycarbonate with a wire mesh. If it were only metal it would be too heavy to move silently and as fast as his attackers did. Mac pulled at his lip, his brain selecting and throwing out ideas. He sat back and nodded-nano silicone panels. Used in micro circuits and nano cells of solar panels nano silicone was soft and porous. It soaked in energy through a flexible porous semi-liquid silicone then expelled it as the silicone changed molecular states. Theoretically, it would make a perfect mechanism to reflect lights of all different spectrums; it would even be self-powering.

Fidget who sat near Mac's feet looked up and growled. Mac stopped, his heart pounding. Fidget stood, a long ruffle of raised fur raised at his neck and spread in a line down his back. Mac stood up. The air was silent, and still. Mac looked over to where Fidget was staring. The corn swayed the same way it had been. Mac slowly began to edge back to the house. He made it about half way before the tide of maize split like the red sea and Mac could hear the creak of plastic armor coming his way. Fidget didn't hesitate he jumped at the first invisible attacker.

"JACK!" Mac yelled looking around him. He saw the garden hose and dashed to it. He cranked on the water and aimed in the general direction of the attackers. "JACK!" Mac screamed. The door opened, and Elmer streaked out attacking the same man as Fidget. Jack leveled his pistol and set off a long burst. Sparks seemed to fly in midair as bullets pinged off the invisible armor. Mac felt the water grow cold he smiled and stepped closer hosing down the man the dogs were dancing around. Water cascaded down the curves of the armor. After a second, there was a buzz, and the invisibility camouflage washed away leaving a surprised man in clear plastic armor.

"Yeah!" Jack whooped concentrating his fire on the center mass of the man. After five shots a huge crack ran up the front of the armor. The man screamed and fell unmoving to the ground. The dogs whirled and started running in and out of other intruders. The ground was wet, Mac could see the large boot prints in the mud, and they were all coming his way.

"MAC!" Jack yelled reloading in seconds. Mac turned and sprinted for the corn. The only thing in his favor was speed. The corn would slow him and his pursuers down, but he would be much more mobile. With the tall corn, he'd be able to know where his opponents were. Mac paused listening. He could hear crashing and swearing behind him. Carefully Mac stepped through the wall of corn, taking care to disturb the foliage as little as possible. After he'd gone over about ten rows, he crouched low and forced himself to breathe slowly through his mouth.

Mac counted five armored men. They stomped through the field without regard for the plants or the work that went into making the neat rows. Mac waited until they passed him then turned and sprinted back the way he came. He cleared the field and skidded to a stop on the sandy drive way as he found himself looking down the barrel of a gun. He drew back his hands flying up.

"Dammit, dude! I almost plugged you."

"Yeah," Mac said. The two dogs were standing over the unmoving man on the ground. "C'mon," Mac yelled. Jack and the two dogs followed him inside the house. Mac closed and locked the door. He paused and grinned at Jack. Jack frowned at him.

"You stew smells good," Mac said.

"Wonderful," Jack growled. "It won't take long for them to come back." Mac nodded and smiled as his brain sorted through everything he'd seen in the house.

"I have an idea."

"Finally." Mac ran into the pantry and pulled out a 50-pound sack of flour. He dug around until he found a pile of paper lunch bags. He thrust both at Jack.

"Fill those up." Jack opened his mouth, then stopped and shook his head and pulled a scoop out of the drawer and started doing what he was told. The dogs sucked up water from their dishes then nudged Jack as they paced occasionally growling.

"Don't worry boys, Daddy Mac and Papa Jack are gonna kick some ass." Elmer kissed him on the nose. Mac came running back in carrying yards of extension cords over his shoulder. He plopped it on the table, pulled out his knife and began to slice the cables down their sides. He pulled off strips of orange plastic. When he had it all slit, he lifted it back on his shoulder. Mac glanced at Jack as the older man finished his task.

"Great, I think there's some twine in that drawer behind you, tie the bags shut and leave…"

"A fuse!" Jack said grinning. Mac nodded and ran for the door. The two dogs ducked out rumbling growls deep in their chests. Mac unrolled the extension cord in a line between the corn and the house. He called the dogs to him and plugged the cable into the electric jack on the side of the house. Mac's nose wrinkled at the smell of melting plastic. Jack came running out bags of flour in his arms. He dropped them beside Mac then ran back in only to emerge in seconds with another armful. Mac held the hose in one hand, his other on the knob to the water. Jack crouched beside him and shot him a smile.

"What?" Mac asked. Jack shook his head.

"Nothing." Mac rolled his eyes but knew what Jack meant. The dogs began to bark and run forward. Jack called them back. They turned back and glared at the two men as if they were saying "are you serious?"

"Yes, I mean it, get your doggy butts over here," Jack growled. The dogs reluctantly returned to Jack's side and stood huffing.

"Here they come," Mac muttered. Jack nodded and raised his pistol. "Not yet."

"What?"

"Trust me," Mac said with a smile. They could hear the crunch of heavy boots slowly crossing the sandy drive. Mac waited hardly breathing. When they were close to the electric cord, Mac turned on the water and hosed the cord. Immediately sparks and electricity arced up into the coarse black smoke. Mac dropped the hose and stepped back as power fed back to the hose with a loud whoosh. Mac coughed and waved at the cloud. He looked up and smiled. Three of the five had lost their invisibility. Jack threw two flour bombs at the other two; they exploded on contact, there was a moment then the whole suit exploded. Jack whooped and let the rest of them fly. In seconds, only Jack and Mac and the two dogs were the only ones left standing. Mac leaned on his knees and closed his eyes. His head felt like it was going to explode and he felt dizzy.

"My man Geekachu!" Jack gushed. Mac shook his head.

"Will you stop with that? I am not a Pokemon character." Mac snarled. Jack laughed and slapped his partner on the back. Mac glared at him then walked over to the extension cord and kicked it until it came out of the socket. Jack went to check on their downed opponents. Mac frowned as he heard a click and the emergency lawn light came on.

"I have to reset the breakers." He called. Jack waved at him. The dogs circled the downed men and growled at them if they moved. Mac crossed into the house and crept down into the dark basement. He'd expected the life-long farmers to have the basement set up for their tornado shelter. He wasn't disappointed. A small emergency light lit the breaker box. Mac clicked the switches and sighed as the electric returned.

Mac turned to go back upstairs when someone grabbed him from behind with an arm trying to land a choke hold. Mac ducked his chin and kicked off of the wall with his feet. The man was forced to let go or fall backward. Mac grunted as the man let go and stepped back. Mac landed on his knees and whirled toward his attacker. Mac's blood froze. Dewayne Stratson wasn't in his clown gear, but Mac could feel his identity in his bones. Mac backed up breathing hard. He felt the walls fall in, the black tide of panic rise. Dewayne smiled stepping back as he clapped his hands.

"Hello, old friend." The man said. Mac knew his high sibilant voice the same way schoolchildren knew the sound of fingernails on a chalkboard. Dewayne tilted his head. A familiar gesture that made Mac step back another step. He could smell the mold, feel the...Mac shook his head and gritted his teeth. No, he wasn't five years old anymore, and he was done playing Asshat's games. He backed up until he ran into a creaking shelf. He reached back grabbed a mason jar and launched it at Asshat's head. The man ducked surprised. Mac didn't hesitate he grabbed another jar and smashed it over the man's head then ran for the stairs. Mac was half way up when a hand grabbed his ankle pulling him down three stairs. Mac grimaced at the pain flaring in his knees and held on to the railing. He half turned and kicked Asshat in the face. The grip on his ankle let go. Mac scrambled up and into the kitchen. The man chased him and slammed him against the counter. Mac cried out as his back hit the edge of the table.

Dewayne raised his knee. Mac managed to step to the side saving him from a groin strike. Mac slammed his forehead against the clown's nose. The man staggered back. Mac slipped out of his grip and backed away. Asshat yelled and grabbed the knife Jack had used to cut the vegetables and swung at Mac. Mac managed to lean back missing the first swipe. Dewayne leaned closer; his face was a mask more twisted than the one he wore to terrorize children. Mac felt a flame of rage ignite inside him. He leaned over grabbing the hot boiling pan of stew and dumped it over the man's head. Stratson screamed and fell to his knees. Mac growled and slammed down with the heavy pot over and over. Mac's breath heaved as he smashed the man's broken face. Stratson was unmoving on the floor in a growing pond of thick red blood. Mac raised the pot again and hesitated. Dewayne's bloodshot eyes looked up at him without fear; the man smiled a bloody smile. Mac stretched to bring down the pot one more time, to end it once and for all.

Mac stopped it less than five inches from the broken mess of the man's face. Mac's body shook, and he raised the pot again. His jaw muscles clenched and Mac closed his eyes. He straightened and tossed the pan aside. Mac stepped back breathing hard. He looked down at his shaking hands. They were red and blistered. He didn't feel it, yet. Mac spun and jumped when he saw Jack leaning against the door frame watching him calmly. Jack studied him a long minute. Mac felt the world swirl around him.

"You ok?" Jack asked. Mac glanced down at the bloody man and nodded. He straightened, pushed past Jack and strode outside. Jack watched Mac cross to the swing and sit on it, bringing his knees to his chest and leaning his head on them. Jack let out a deep breath. He was glad Mac returned to himself before he killed Asshat. Jack studied the man on the floor. He honestly couldn't say if he'd have stopped the kid or not. Jack climbed the stairs and retrieved the burner phone. He smiled at the dogs who were licking up beef and vegetables from the spilled stew. At least someone liked it. Jack called Matty.

"Yeah." Matty's voice was tight. Jack felt his worry spike.

"Matty?"

"Don't go back to LA, don't call this number again."

"Matty?"

"Jack, Phoenix has fallen."

Vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv

Valencia Pharee-Grace sighed as she walked the length of the War room. She sat down and smiled. Her smile evaporated as he cell rang. She lifted it to her ear but didn't speak.

"Did he do it?"

"No." Valencia winced at the disappointment in the man's voice. "I might have a solution." Silence told her he was listening.

"I think Jack Dalton holds him together if we take away that…"

"Interesting notion. What do you suggest?"

"We have two assets available who would be delighted to take on this challenge. We may not even have to pay them."

"I see. Very well. And Phoenix?"

"The last employee left half an hour ago. The new staff is settling in nicely." Valencia couldn't keep the smugness out of her voice.

"Don't get cocky." The man chided. Valencia swallowed.

"Of course not, sir."

"Very well, clean up Iowa. Keep me informed."

"Yes, sir."

- **So you think you hate me now? This story will be continued, but I will have another story called Ghost of a Chance out first. Thank you for hanging in for this story. It was much more internal than any of my other stories. Thank you for reading, liking and especially commenting. While the sequel to this is in the drawing stage, I welcome any suggestions, ideas or things you'd like to see. Thanks, 'til next time-peace y'all.  
**


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